White House Christmas tree in 1997 there were 36, in 2008 there were 27. Traditionally, the tree in the Blue Room is the official White House Christmas tree. The White House Christmas tree usually stands nearly 20 feet tall and the crystal chandelier in the Blue Room must be removed for the tree to fit the room. Frequently, the tree's height is reported as 18 or 18½ feet tall. The Blue Room tree is donated each year by the National Christmas Tree Association (NCTA). The NCTA has donated the tree since 1966; it is chosen through a contest among members of the trade group.
White House Military Office residence away from the White House. That same year, the White House Communications Agency was formed to assure that the President always had access to safe, secure, and reliable means of communication. Two years later, President Franklin D. Roosevelt called for the creation of the Presidential Pilot's Office (renamed the Presidential Airlift Group in 2001) to provide air transportation to the President and his staff. The White House Medical Unit was established in the West Wing in 1945. The White House Mess, also contained in the West Wing, was established in 1951 and has been run by the Navy ever