Not many people can honestly say the first time they visited the White House, it was in order to decorate it.
Skylar Martin was one of hundreds who helped decorate the White House on the weekend after Thanksgiving, and one of a few who decorated the Gold Star tree, which is dedicated to the families of soldiers killed in action.
The Pleasant Hill native and granddaughter of Jody Angel said that prior to this summer, she didn’t know that helping decorate the White House is something people can apply to do each year.
After learning about how to apply, she said to her husband, Kyle Martin, “Can you believe this is a real thing?”
As she began filling out the application, she started to doubt her chances of being selected based on some of the “experience” related questions.
“I don’t have any professional experience as an interior designer or a florist. I’m a stay-at-home mom” she said.
Martin said her decorating experience comes from a lot of practice decorating her own home in unique ways each time she moves, which is relatively frequently due to the nature of her husband’s line of work as an officer in the United States Army.
Despite thinking she might not have much of a shot, she submitted an application.
“I was really proud of myself for doing something outside of my comfort zone,” Martin said.
And Martin said she’s glad she did because it was the kind of wonderful experience. She said she would gladly do again and again.
Martin arrived in Washington D.C. on Thanksgiving Day. Her next three days were filled to the brim relentlessly decorating the White House alongside hundreds of Americans from across the country.
Currently, Martin’s address is technically in Pennsylvania, but she and her husband both grew up in Pleasant Hill (her maiden name is Angel), and Martin still did her best to let her new acquaintances know where she’s really from whenever it came up.
“There’s not a lot of people where we’re from going in and out of the White House,” she said.
This was Martin’s first visit to the White House. She said she was nervously excited at the prospect of visiting somewhere that has such historical importance to the history of the United States.
“I’ll never forget the first time I walked in there,” she said.
Martin said she was pleasantly surprised at the fact that a large amount of the White House’s Christmas decorations are handmade.
Martin said she met and worked alongside people she will never forget.
On Sunday, Martin visited the White House again. This time it was to look at the decorations rather than install them, and show her husband and their three sons, Liam, 9, Aiden, 7, and Cohen, 5, the work she did.
Martin showed them the Gold Star tree. Decorating this tree was one of the most impactful parts of the trip. The ornaments on this tree are engraved with the names of soldiers killed or missing in action.
“It’s been an amazing experience,” Martin said, reflecting on her time at the White House. “I’m so grateful to have gotten to meet so many amazing people.”
Martin said she hopes people back in Cass County will have a Merry Christmas.
“If I can bring a little positivity back home, I definitely will,” Martin said.
