The White House Historical Association’s 2024 Annual Ornament commemorates the presidency of Jimmy Carter, the 39th President of the United States. A symbol of hope, the distinctive anchor shape represents Carter’s service in the United States Navy. He is the only president to have attended the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. The view of the North Portico is accompanied by doves, symbols of President Carter’s peacemaking efforts while in the White House, which culminated in the Camp David Accords. The poinsettias recall the colorful holiday decor at the White House during his presidency. The reverse of the ornament features several additional motifs related to Carter’s life and legacy.
The submarine pictured near the top of the anchor is the Seawolf-class USS Jimmy Carter (SSN-23) commissioned by the U.S. Navy in 2005; Carter is the only president to have qualified on submarines. The globe signifies Carter’s life-long commitment to the environment. During his presidency, he used executive authority to protect natural resources and lands, signed legislation to create national parks, and promoted energy conservation. The globe also symbolizes Carter’s eff orts to secure world peace as a president and as a private citizen. In 2002, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for this work, which continues through the Carter Center. Embellishing the lower anchor are peanuts and their yellow blossoms, a reminder of Carter’s years as a farmer and businessman in Plains, Georgia.