Farah Sanders, a public relations and strategic communications professor at Utah Valley University, got the unique chance to prepare the White House for the 2023 holiday season. Over the week of Thanksgiving, Sanders and her husband flew to Washington, D.C., to collaborate with First Lady Jill Biden’s team to enhance the White House.

Sanders has 25 years of decor experience, particularly in floral design. Her decorating journey took a turn when she experienced a personal tragedy in 2020, and she looked to her passion for decorating to help cope. About a year later, in the fall of 2021, she and her husband decided to start a flower farm called Huckleberry Lane, aiming to bring fresh-cut flowers to their community, which previously did not have access to those resources. Her main objectives behind the farm are to inspire joy and uplift her community.

Sanders’ path to the White House began with an extensive application process open to individuals across the United States, encompassing diverse backgrounds such as military-connected families, educators, frontline workers, and students. Her application spotlighted her flower farm and excitement for decoration. While over 3,000 individuals applied, only 150 were selected to volunteer. After a few months, Sanders received word that she was invited to decorate, and she was stunned.

“I was so appreciative of how supportive UVU was in my going to Washington D.C.,” Sanders said. “When I told my department head about the opportunity, he immediately encouraged me to take it. Not only that, but when I told my students about the opportunity, they were all so excited for me and understanding about me possibly being difficult to reach for a few days. All of their attitudes exemplified the institution as a whole and showed just how supportive the UVU community is.”

The White House’s decor theme this year is “Magic, Wonder, and Joy,” showing the beauty and whimsy of the holidays from a child's perspective. The White House has a lot of space to cover, which means they need plenty of materials — approximately 14,975 feet of ribbon, 350 candles, 33,892 ornaments, and 22,100 bells were used this year to decorate the White House.

Adorning the White House is a very hands-on process that requires multiple handmade decor pieces. You can see Sanders’ personal touches throughout a few areas, including the grand garland beneath Abraham Lincoln's portrait and the made-from-scratch wreath above a gingerbread version of the White House.

When Sanders left for the nation’s capital, she was prepared to decorate and design. What she didn’t expect was meeting and developing friendships with remarkable people from all walks of life, including teachers, military members, American Gold Star parents, designers, and decorators. She left D.C. with new friends from across the nation. Sanders said that, along with her fellow decorators, the White House staff were very kind, always ensuring the volunteers were cared for, fed, and safe.

“To see people willing to take that much time and care to use their expertise to show their patriotism in such a beautiful way was inspiring,” Sanders said. “Shortly after we were finished decorating, the White House hosted a dinner for military personnel and their families, so we immediately saw our service bring joy to American citizens. Sharing that service entity is what I am especially looking forward to bringing back to my classroom and demonstrating to my students.”

Sanders' journey from UVU to Washington, D.C., was more than a decoration endeavor. Her expertise in floral design and passion for bringing joy through flowers made her uniquely qualified to show her patriotism through holiday decor. Her narrative goes far beyond decoration, exemplifying unity, community upliftment, patriotism, and the importance of shared service.