A Centerville Arts Commission member since earlier this year, von Stuckrad-Smolinski first learned about the White House decorating program through an HGTV special years ago. Although her 2015 application was not accepted, she decided to try again this year.
"I got the acceptance email at 9 p.m. on a Sunday in October," she said in a release. "At first, I thought it was spam, but when I realized it was real, I couldn't stop crying with joy."
Her week-long volunteer experience began Nov. 25 and included a wide array of tasks, from decoupaging ornaments to decorating trees and creating intricate displays. Notable projects included folding and stringing nearly 2,000 paper doves for the Blue Room and decorating the historic China Room, which houses presidential china dating back to George Washington.
"You haven't lived until you've shimmied through a Christmas tree decorated with vintage White House glass ornaments while Andrew Jackson's china is on the other side of you," Emily said.
One of her most memorable moments was standing in the East Room and hearing a quote shared by White House Social Secretary Carlos Eduardo Elizondo, inspired by Maya Angelou: "People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."
This year's decorations incorporated more than 28,125 ornaments, 9,810 feet of ribbon and 2,200 doves spread across 83 Christmas trees.
"It was an honor to be part of this historic event," von Stuckrad-Smolinski said. "Sometimes, while decorating, I'd have these pinch-me moments, realizing I was standing where history was made."