It’s a Philly Christmas in the halls of the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, D.C., at least outside of U.S. Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon’s (D-PA) office. The Philadelphia Inquirer covered the local overlay to the Beltway holidays.

Scanlon’s hallway décor included lights in the shape of Boathouse Row, Wawa gift-wrapping paper, and a life-sized inflatable Gritty with a Santa hat and Christmas scarf.

An informal decorating competition, stopped because of COVID, was back this year.

“When they started this year, the first thing I did was order the inflatable Gritty because that is so much Philadelphia/Delco, where I represent,” Scanlon said Friday.

 At the same time, Scanlon stopped at Wawa and spotted the red and white paper used to wrap hoagies.

“We reached out to Wawa and said ‘Can we get this paper to wrap things?’

Even Speaker Nancy Pelosi has come face to face with Gritty.

 “I’m not quite sure she knew what to make of Gritty,” joked Scanlon.

The light-hearted competition has been good for many staffers who have had a difficult year as they eye the upcoming one-year anniversary of the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol.

The contest provides holiday cheer and common ground to both parties, Scanlon added.

Read more at The Philadelphia Inquirer about these Philly-oriented decorations.