Red, white and blue Christmas: Minnesota's ornaments on the White House tree

 Mr. Google helped us stumble upon the Minnesota page of ornaments for the White House Christmas Tree, which is:

decorated with 369 ornaments hand-decorated by artists from around the country, who were selected by their members of Congress. Each ornament was specially designed to characterize the unique, patriotic spirit of the artist’s state, district, or territory.

Some of Minnesota's ornament artists follow this year's theme of "A Red, White and Blue Christmas," working in the state's own 150th birthday.

Others adopt the state's iconic images;  artists selected by Amy Klobuchar and Michele Bachmann chose to grace their bulbs with loons swimming in pine-sheltered lakes.

For the First, Congressman Walz asked Owatonna's Todd Andrix to design an ornament (above). Andrix's design followed the theme. Correction: According to the Owatonna People's Press, Andrix asked a former student, Christine Robbins, to work on an ornament. Her bulb was chosen for the tree. 

Of all the Minnesota ornaments, our favorite is the Fifth's, by David Allan Beaman. The iridescent urban winter scene, with the northern lights dancing in the sky, is simply lovely.