Michelle Obama welcomes last Christmas tree of Obama White House

The last White House Christmas tree of the Obama administration arrived Friday.

As with the goofy annual turkey pardoning on Wednesday, the departing President Obama and first lady Michelle Obama are carrying out their final White House ceremonies with humor and panache.

The first lady, accompanied this year by her little nephews, Austin and Aaron Robinson, plus her dogs Bo and Sunny, received the official tree — a 19-foot Balsam-Veitch fir cross grown at the Whispering Pines Tree Farm in Oconto, Wisc.— at the mansion's north portico.

The tree was presented by Dave and Mary Vander Velden of Wisconsin, the 2016 winners of the National Christmas Tree Association contest. The association has presented the official tree to the White House since 1966.

Mrs. Obama's outfit was casual chic: A black military-style tunic jacket with asymmetrical buttons and bell sleeves over black leggings and high-heeled mid-calf black boots.

Usually, daughters Malia and Sasha have been on hand for the tree reception, as they have been present for the corny turkey reception before Thanksgiving. This time, the girls had "other commitments" and their cousins, the two youngest children of the first lady's brother, Craig Robinson, and his wife Kelly, filled in.

The boys looked delighted to be at both ceremonies and helped keep a handle on the Obamas' black-and-white Portuguese water dogs, who also usually accompany the first lady for the tree reception.

As is tradition, the tree was pulled up to the White House in a horse-drawn carriage, complete with drivers dressed in breeches and tailcoats.

The tree left Oconto on Tuesday.  Vander Velden told reporters in Wisconsin the tree is a rare cross between a Fraser fir native to North Carolina and a Veitch fir native to Japan.

It will go on display in the Blue Room at the White House.