On Monday, President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden celebrated Halloween by inviting a group of fortunate kids to the White House for trick-or-treating.
Dr. Biden dressed as Willow the couple’s cat, complete with a grey dress, cat ears, a nose, whiskers, and a tail, while the president opted not to wear a costume.
Dr. Biden read aloud from the children’s book Ten Spooky Pumpkins on the South Lawn before handing out candy. The first lady chose the theme of Hallo-READ! for the evening to highlight ghost stories, well-known literary tales and characters, and what the White House called “the spooktacular thrill of reading.” The reading adhered to this theme.
Around 8,000 people attended this year’s Halloween celebrations, according to the White House. Scholastic donated books and the National Confectioners Association provided chocolate and candies for each family. Kids were also given recipe cards with instructions on how to make treats with a Halloween theme.
Literary-themed décor was present, and several book characters, such as Clifford the Big Red Dog and Greg Heffley from Diary of a Wimpy Kid, were dressed up for the occasion.
Having taught for over thirty years, including several years as a reading specialist, Dr Biden has dedicated a significant portion of her husband’s workdays to the field of education.