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WASHINGTON, D.C. — The historic Vice Presidential Residence at the Naval Observatory, a stately Queen Anne home perched on 12 acres in the nation's capital, is currently steeped in the "Golden Noel" theme, a vibrant tribute marking the 50th anniversary of Christmas celebrations at the official dwelling. For Second Lady Usha Vance, the first Indian American in her role, and her family—Vice President JD Vance and their three young children, Ewan (8), Vivek (5), and Mirabel (3)—it is their inaugural holiday season within the palatial, 33-room mansion.
This year's extensive, months-in-the-making holiday display is a nod to a "vintage
Christmas," featuring framed photographs of former residents displayed in a celebratory tent and exterior hallway, some sourced from scrapbooks left by previous vice presidential families, and others from the Library of Congress. The Mondales were the first family to officially reside in the home, though the first Christmas celebration occurred during Nelson Rockefeller's tenure in 1975. The theme intentionally throws back to both eras, melding history with the family's present-day traditions.
Blending Cultures and Faith in Holiday Traditions
The Vance family's Christmas is a thoughtful blend of cultural backgrounds and religious convictions. Usha Vance, raised Hindu by Indian immigrant parents from the Telugu-speaking regions of Andhra Pradesh, India, has always celebrated Christmas with gift exchanges, while her father emphasized the holiday's spiritual significance. "We'd read from the Bible and think about the Christmas story, or we would do things that emphasize the spirit of giving and service," she noted.
Vice President JD Vance is a Catholic convert, having embraced the faith in 2019 after the couple was already married. While Usha Vance does not plan to convert, the couple is raising their children Christian, an arrangement JD Vance has publicly discussed, noting that faith is a matter of "free will." Their eldest son, Ewan, chose to be baptized in 2024. The family typically spends Christmas Day in Southern California with Usha's parents, sister, and brother-in-law, and Thanksgiving with JD Vance’s family in Ohio.
A House Transformed: From Public Spectacle to Private Quarters
The residence, which the Vances moved into the day after the inauguration in January 2025, balances its public function with the needs of a young family. The ground floor, open to the numerous party and dinner guests Second Lady Vance is hosting (nine receptions in one week alone), features three grand Christmas trees, the runners-up from this year's National Christmas Tree Association contest.
In the family's private quarters, however, a more personal touch prevails. Five-year-old Vivek Vance's request for "a really skinny tree" that "leaned" was accommodated, for the most part, resulting in a slightly less "sad" but still "Charlie Brown-style Christmas tree" that they cut down together in Lexington, Kentucky. This illustrates the necessary "give and take" in holiday decision-making. The children, Ewan (8), Vivek (5), and Mirabel (3), are the youngest ever to reside in the mansion. The family's priority on safety and homeliness is evident in the modifications they've made, including childproofing the residence to secure the outdoor pool and building a treehouse and a storage shed resembling the main house, which they use for woodworking and extra pantry storage.
Santa's Status and Simple Pleasures
The question of Santa Claus has been settled, at least for the older Vance children. Eight-year-old Ewan decided in 2024 that he no longer believed and attempted to share his discovery with his class, though his peers successfully "argued him down." The eldest's disclosure, according to Usha Vance, has largely spoiled the secret for five-year-old Vivek, leaving only three-year-old Mirabel "pretty oblivious" and still "in on it."
Beyond the elaborate official decorations, the family finds joy in simpler holiday activities, such as ice skating lessons at the rink on the National Mall and attending the holiday opera, which Vivek particularly enjoys. Their favorite holiday film has moved from the "a little bit deranged" The Nightmare Before Christmas to the original version of The Grinch, a preference Usha Vance suspects stems from its being her own favorite.
Amidst the high-profile entertaining and the complex logistics of life in the public eye, the Vance family's first Christmas at the Naval Observatory underscores a universal truth: the holidays, at their core, are about family compromise, shared traditions, and creating a sense of home, however grand the setting.
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