Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, aged 99, holds a unique distinction as the first living president honored with an official White House Christmas ornament.
Unveiled annually since 1981 by the White House Historical Association, Carter’s ornament, shaped like an anchor, pays tribute to his Navy service.
Symbolic elements include doves, a globe, a submarine, and peanuts, representing aspects of his presidency.
Carter, the 39th president and the only one to attend the U.S. Naval Academy, served in the Navy for seven years.
The ornament features the USS Jimmy Carter, the last Seawolf-class nuclear submarine.
Carter’s commitment to peacemaking, environmental advocacy, and his Nobel Peace Prize are also highlighted.
The ornament serves as a reminder of his years as a peanut farmer. Carter, currently in hospice care, announced in 2023 his decision to forgo medical intervention.
His wife, Rosalynn, passed away in November, marking the end of a marriage lasting over 77 years—the longest in U.S. presidential history.
The White House Historical Association, established in 1961, operates as a nonprofit organization, relying on private donations and merchandise sales, including the annual Christmas ornament.
