Gifts are usually given to the first lady when a foreign government visits the White House. In honor of these foreign friends, a state dinner is also held. The first lady is the hostess of this dinner. According to the White House Historical Association, "The First Lady and her staff are responsible for the elaborate planning and attention behind the glitter and ceremony of the state dinner. These formal dinners involve the creation of invitations and guest lists, menus, flowers, table settings, seating arrangements and entertainment for the evening."
Luckily for the first lady, she has chefs on hand to make the food. According to the White House Museum, First Lady Mamie Eisenhower liked to choose the menu for dinners. Some first ladies, like Pat Nixon, were more hands-off.
In 2012, Michelle Obama also started a Kids' State Dinner. Children from every state were invited to showcase healthy recipes they created and the winning dishes were served. At the second annual Kids' State Dinner, then-First Lady Michelle Obama told attendees, "This is what it's like to be a part of an official state dinner. We mirrored it exactly to what people experience when we host world leaders here."
ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7tbTEpaCsrF6YvK57kHFvbmljZMSmtdGdZKutnJrAbsDHnmSfoaKowW64wJ2wZqGjYrOwvsKem2asn2KzsLjLqK5o