Who's the better gift giver: Barack or Michelle?
The first lady says she is.
On Christmas at the White House: An Oprah Primetime Special (airing Sunday on ABC), Winfrey asks Barack if he feels more pressure to give good gifts now that he's the president — or if he can get away with giving a less desirable gift.
His answer ignites a cute debate with the first lady.
"I have given some good gifts – you get some nice stuff – here's the general rule, I give nicer stuff than I get," Barack begins.
Michelle quickly interrupts, "No way! I gave you good gifts last year!"
"Absolutely – aw, come on, please," he replies. "You know, it's like Mother's Day and Father's Day."
Michelle quips, "We're talking about Christmas, don't become distracted…"
The two – who will celebrate their first Christmas in the White House this year – also reveal the best presents they got as kids.
Michelle says her top gift was "a metal doll house with plastic furniture … I remember I really didn't know how to set up a house, so I had all the furniture lined up along the walls, as opposed to nestled around the fireplace, but I loved that little doll house."
Barack's top present?
"A bike one year," he tells Winfrey. "Getting that first, big kid 10-speed bike that's always … special."
One year, Barack – whose parents separated when he was 2-years old and later divorced – also says his father visited him from his native Kenya and gave him a basketball.
"It wasn't until much later in life that I realized, 'Actually, he gave me that basketball,'" he says. "I think there was some cause and effect there in terms of the degree to which I just ended up taking up the sport as a kid who didn't know his dad."
