It may not be beginning to look or feel like Christmas in Mississippi, but the countdown has begun to get the Governor’s Mansion decorated ahead of the holiday season — and we’re 150 days away from when Santa’s sleigh will make its rounds.
An annual tradition spearheaded by Mississippi’s First Lady Elee Reeves entails getting “the people’s house” all dolled up with festive garb honoring one unique aspect of the state’s history, culture, and its people. In years past, the interior of the mansion has been decorated to pay tribute to first responders, to highlight Mississippi as the birthplace of America’s music, and to symbolize the warm southern hospitality felt in the Magnolia State.
“As soon as one Christmas ends, preparation and planning for the next one begin. They work tirelessly to make the holidays memorable and special for all Mississippians,” Gov. Tate Reeves said. “Over the years, we’ve celebrated some remarkable things. We’ve honored our first responders. We’ve celebrated Mississippi’s children. We’ve showcased our vibrant cities and towns. We’ve spotlighted our rich musical heritage, and we’ve applauded the incredible businesses that fuel our economy. Each theme has captured the spirit of Mississippi, and this year will be no different.”
The governor and first lady, surrounded by a large group of youth indulging in snow cones during a sweltering hot Monday in July in the Governor’s Mansion garden, announced that the 2025 Christmas theme would be the major successes Mississippi has experienced in education. It’s no secret that the state’s education scene has made tremendous strides in recent years. What’s been referred to as “The Mississippi Miracle” has been felt in classrooms statewide.
Notable achievements have included a breakthrough in literacy rates, underscored by significant improvements in fourth and eighth-grade math and reading scores, record-breaking high school graduation rates, a downtick in dropouts, and school districts bettering their accountability grades. Mississippi was once in the educational cellar on a national scale, but the state has since reversed course.
“For this year’s theme, we really want to highlight the educational success Mississippi has had and really focus on our students, our educators, and we cannot be more excited,” Elee Reeves said. “We’ve had so many great wins, whether it be math or reading, or graduation rates, I think any of those are areas you could focus on.”
In order to do the theme justice, Mississippi’s first family is calling on local designers to put their creativity to work and submit proposals for a Christmas design highlighting recent wins in education. The deadline for submissions is Aug. 31, and applications are to be sent to [email protected].
Once all submissions are received, the first lady and her team will assess them and determine which will be the big winner. The designer of choice will be announced in September.
