Obama recycles magnolia tree into plenty of gifts

If, as they say, the best gifts are homemade ones, then the White House is on a roll this week in Europe. The star of the show? A now-dead magnolia tree that once grew on the South Lawn.

The tree fell over during severe snowstorms in 2009, but with a little help, President Obama and first lady Michelle Obama have recycled it into a bevy of gifts for foreign dignitaries.

Newlyweds Prince William and Kate, Duchess of Cornwall, received a selection of seedlings and plants in a specially carved magnolia box on Tuesday.

And on Wednesday, Prime Minister David Cameron was presented with a pair of magnolia wood and silver cufflinks. The back sides were engraved with Obama’s signature. (His very, very, small signature.)

Cameron’s wife, Sarah, also got a gift made of silver and magnolia — in her case, a bracelet with a wooden cabochon in the middle.

Keep an eye out for more magnolia as Obama travels to France on Thursday to attend G-8 meetings.

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