White House scraps Christmas fireplace stockings after Biden acknowledges grandchild for first time

The White House is opting to ditch the annual Christmas tradition of hanging stockings for President Biden's grandchildren, a move that allows it to avoid devoting a decoration for the president's seventh grandchild, who he only recently acknowledged for the first time.

In a ceremony Monday afternoon, first lady Jill Biden unveiled the White House's 2023 Christmas decorations, which included various themed trees, rooms and displays. However, in a departure from the 2021 and 2022 displays, the fireplace in the White House State Dining Room was decorated without any stockings and, instead, with garland and toy soldier robots, The New York Post reported.

"The holidays offer a time for reflection and a break from our hurried lives, a season to be fully present with our friends and our families," Jill Biden remarked Monday. "It's also a season of gratitude."

The first lady described the decorations in the White House State Dining Room as bringing the "magic wonder and the joy of the holidays" all together in a recreation of Santa's workshop. She failed, though, to mention that the Christmas stockings would be removed from the room's fireplace this year.

First Lady Jill Biden described the decorations in the White House State Dining Room as bringing the 'magic wonder and the joy of the holidays' all together in a recreation of Santa's workshop. (Getty Images)

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The decision to forego stockings for the Bidens' grandchildren comes four months after Biden first acknowledged his seventh grandchild, Navy Joan Roberts, for the first time in July. Navy, who is five-years-old, is the daughter of Biden's son Hunter and ex-stripper Lunden Roberts.

"Our son Hunter and Navy’s mother, Lunden, are working together to foster a relationship that is in the best interests of their daughter, preserving her privacy as much as possible going forward," Biden said in a statement to Fox News Digital on July 28. "This is not a political issue, it’s a family matter. Jill and I only want what is best for all of our grandchildren, including Navy."

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First lady Jill Biden speaks about the holiday season and unveils the White House holiday decor during a ceremony on Monday. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

That statement came after years of Biden ignoring the fact that he had seven grandchildren, instead referring to his "six grandchildren." 

At a White House "take your child to work day" event in April, Biden again claimed to have just six grandchildren. 

"I have six grandchildren, and I'm crazy about them. And I speak to them every single day. Not a joke," he said.

President Biden repeatedly refused to acknowledge Hunter Biden's daughter, Navy Joan Roberts, before late July. (Fox News)

Hunter Biden had long denied being Navy Joan's father, but a 2019 DNA test proved otherwise. He has since fought to lower child support payments. Navy Joan was born in August 2018, and Roberts filed a paternity suit in May 2019. Both parties agreed to temporary child support following the DNA test results.

Hunter Biden and Roberts reached an agreement to settle their paternity and child support suit in March 2020, according to the Democrat-Gazette. The case was then reopened after he requested changes to the child support payments. 

In June, Hunter settled his Arkansas child support case with Navy Joan's mother. A court filing showed Hunter agreed to give his daughter some of his paintings, and the child's mother agreed to withdraw her counterclaim to change their child's last name to "Biden."

The White House didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.

Fox News Digital reporter Joe Schoffstall contributed to this report.

Thomas Catenacci is a politics writer for Fox News Digital.