Biden welcomed 2,500 guests to the South Lawn under sunny skies as he cracked jokes about the fates of “Peach” and “Blossom” and sounded wistful tones about the last weeks of his presidency after a half-century in Washington power circles.

First Lady Jill Biden accepted the delivery of this year’s White House Christmas tree from Cartner’s Christmas Tree Farm in Newland, an area impacted by Hurricane Helene.

President Joe Biden has kicked off his final holiday season at the White House, issuing the traditional reprieve to two turkeys who will bypass the Thanksgiving table to live out their days in Minnesota.