DEATH VALLEY, Calif. -- A Death Valley National Park ornament is prominently displayed on this year's official White House Christmas Tree.

The tree is the centerpiece of elaborate decorations celebrating the theme of "Holiday in the National Parks."

"It is an amazing honor for the National Park Service to be selected as the theme for the White House holiday decorations by the president and Mrs. Bush," said National Park Service Director Mary A. Bomar. "Mrs. Bush is the best champion for our national parks, and the beautiful decorations in each state room showcase the natural and historical treasures found in parks throughout the country."

The tree, located in the Blue Room, is adorned with handmade ornaments representing the country's 391 National Park Service sites. "Each ornament on the magnificent 18-foot Fraser fir was designed by an artist selected by the park," said Bomar. "The ornaments tell the stories of our parks, just as our parks tell the stories of our nation."

Carre Shandor, the park's facility management specialist, turned a common golden globe into a collage of images showcasing the significant historical and natural features that make Death Valley National Park one of our nation's greatest treasures.

"With a park as large as Death Valley it was difficult to decide what image or images best represented the park on an eight-inch ball," said Superintendent JT Reynolds. Carre was accompanied by her husband Aaron Shandor, a park protection ranger at Death Valley, to be present at a special reception held at the White House Nov. 28 and attended by First Lady Laura Bush.

The holiday displays incorporate the wide variety of natural, cultural, and recreational features preserved by the National Park Service.

Most Americans will not have the opportunity to visit the White House, so the White House Web site will focus on the decorations, with a few surprises as well. You can see it for yourselves at www.whitehouse.gov.