The Obamas' new X-mas card & White House preps 50k visitors for WH holiday parties

Personally signed by President Barack and first lady Michelle, the couple's first Christmas card has been released

More on the WH holiday parties:

Over the next few weeks, President and Michelle Obama will host 50,000 guests at 17 holiday parties and 11 open houses at the White House -- a challenge for White House security after last week's gate-crashing incident at the president's first state dinner.

Sixty thousand visitors, 25 lavish receptions, seven dinners and White House tours and no reported instances of security mishaps.

That's how the Bush administration managed the holiday season last year.

Now the Obama administration is under pressure to prevent security breaches -- like a gate crashing -- from spoiling its 17 holiday parties and 11 open houses in which 50,000 people are expected to shuffle through the "people's house" to toast the holidays.
Read on.