NAPLES, Fla. -- A Southwest Florida woman just returned from the chance of a lifetime when she was one of the few chosen to decorate the White House for Christmas.
Look up the definition of Christmas cheer and you will find Diane Olivo. She lives in Naples, and those closest to her can't help but tease her a bit. "My friends used to call me Mrs. Claus."
Last year, Diane found a unique opportunity by watching TV: a once in a lifetime chance to decorate the most well-known house in the country, at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
"Last August I decided to call the White House, and they actually answered the phone". That one phone call, and a written essay, sent Diane to the nation's capitol as one of 150 decorators to transform the White House into a winter wonderland. "We did a lot of lights…I was on Team Twinkle."
This is Diane's second year being invited to the White House.
Olivo hung the stockings and lights with care, in just about every room of the White House, including the Oval Office...making sure that every little detail was magical.
"Every branch gets lights, and you go in and out… and there's to be no wires hanging or anything. It's very professional."
Olivo says every display started with a vision, which comes from none other than the First Lady. "Everything is Mrs. Trump's vision, and she works with the designers and they tell the volunteers what to do."
It's a rare opportunity that Diane has now made the most of twice, and she's humbled to spread holiday cheer for America's first family. "Its such an honor to be chosen twice now, I'm just so thrilled. Do you think a third time's a charm? I hope so, i hope so...that would be fun."
