In the event that someone you know (or even you yourself) are celebrating a special event or occasion, it is possible to write to the White House and make a request to the President to acknowledge the date and event with a greeting card that has been personalized. It is an honor to receive a greeting such as this from the White House. Follow these tips to get the president to commemorate your special occasion.

Step 1:

Develop a good understanding of the rules. Not everyone can order a White House greeting ? it is only open to American citizens.

Step 2:

Have a genuine celebration. One cannot simply obtain greetings from the White House for any trivial matter. You should be celebrating a milestone event such as a promotion or retirement. As a rule, anniversary greetings are sent to couples celebrating 50 or more years of marriage. In addition, the White House only sends birthday greetings to those celebrating their 80th birthday or older. The White House will acknowledge other limited events, including:

? Wedding - (be sure to mail the request after the event has taken place)

? The birth of a new baby (be sure to mail the request after the event has taken place)

? The Gold award for Girl Scouts

? Jewish celebration of Bar or Bat Mitzvah

? The Boy Scouts' Eagle award

Step 3:

Give plenty of advance notice. It is understandable that the White House must have previous notice to approve your requested and send you a greeting card at the right time for your special occasion. Also, it has to be received six weeks prior to the date of your key event. Give plenty of time for your order to arrive from the White House; it often takes a while to receive your greeting. Wedding congratulations or birth acknowledgments are the exception to the general rule they follow of not sending greetings after an event has already taken place. Give yourself sufficient time by ordering your White House greetings several months in advance of the special occasion.

Step 4:

Include all the required information in the request. If you want your greetings request fulfilled properly, you must include all of the information the White House requires. You must include:

? The celebrating person's address and name (including formal designations such as Mr., Mrs., Miss., Dr., etc.)

? The exact date - day, month, year)

? Details of the specific event being celebrated such as how old they are, which anniversary they are celebrating, etc.)

? The name and number of the requester

? Additional mailing directions, if they differ from the person's address

Please note: if you are requesting a baby's birth announcement, you should also add the full name of the baby and both parents.

Step 5:

Your greetings request should be mailed to the proper address. All requests for greetings from the White House should be sent to the correct office. If you would like a greeting card personalized for your use, you can ask for one from the following address:

The White House

Attn: Greetings Office

Washington, D.C

Your White House greeting will arrive about ten days before your milestone occasion or a few weeks after, if you ordered after the fact.