Here’s how the Cabinet Secretaries and their families celebrate the holidays

It’s never a dull moment in Washington during the holiday season — featuring multiple holiday celebrations at the White House itself for lawmakers and Cabinet secretaries. 

The White House has hosted Christmas parties dating back to 1800 when then-President John Adams and then-first lady Abigail Adams hosted several government officials and their families to celebrate on behalf of their granddaughter, Susanna Boylston Adams, according to the White House Historical Association. 

Now, government officials make their rounds to celebrate the season — both in their official capacity serving the government and privately with their families.

For example, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent attended the White House Congressional Ball in December. First lady Melania Trump hosted the annual event at the White House for Republican and Democratic members of Congress.

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President Donald Trump also indicated that other Cabinet members also attended, claiming that “we’ve got them all sort of here” after singling out Rubio and Bessent. However, he refrained from identifying others because “they’re not names that are going to get huge applause from this very substantially Democrat audience.” 

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth also kicked off the first-ever Christmas worship service at the Pentagon, featuring American evangelist Franklin Graham, and musicians Anne Wilson and Matthew West. 

Additionally, Hegseth’s wife, Jen, hosted a Christmas Tea Party for Gold Star families at the Pentagon. A Gold Star Family is the family of a service member who died during active-duty military service.

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Outside of official holiday events in Washington, the secretaries and their families enjoy their own holiday traditions as well. The White House shared a video Dec. 13 detailing how the secretaries and their families celebrate the holidays, with activities ranging from baking to holding a talent show. 

Jeanette Rubio, who is married to Secretary of State Rubio, said that their family attends midnight Mass together during Christmas. The couple shares four children together. 

“We, as a family, we go to midnight Mass, that’s something that’s very important to us,” Rubio said in the video. “We celebrate it together, because we want to keep what the purpose of Christmas is.”

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Allison Lutnick, who is married to Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, said that their favorite way to celebrate the holidays is lighting Hanukkah candles with their four children. 

“My favorite holiday tradition is lighting Hanukkah candles with my children,” Lutnick said in the video. “They’re approaching 30 now, so we don’t do chocolate dreidels or eight nights of gifts anymore though.” 

Kathryn Burgum, the wife of Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum, said that their family celebrates Christmas by making a Norwegian flatbread called lefse.

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“Our favorite holiday tradition is making lefse,” Burgum said in the video. “And some people don’t have any idea what that is, but that’s actually a Norwegian flatbread that’s a tradition around the holidays.” 

Cheryl Hines, who is married to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., said that their family is large, which makes the holiday season extra fun. 

“We like to have a talent show,” Hines said in the video. “Not everybody is as talented as they wish they were, but that doesn’t stop us from singing at the top of our lungs or doing some crazy dance. We always have a really good time together.”

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Lisa Collins, who is married to Secretary of Veterans Affairs Doug Collins, said their family enjoys decorating their Christmas tree with ornaments they’ve collected for nearly 40 years. 

“Our favorite holiday tradition is collecting Christmas ornaments, everywhere we’ve been in 37 years,” Collins said in the video. We “have a special tree for those places, and they’re all dated as a remembrance of where we’ve been, and how far we’ve come.”