Why Jill Biden's Christmas Decor Has Everyone Talking About Melania Trump
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas in the White House! On November 28, First Lady Dr. Jill Biden announced the beginning of the holiday season by tweeting photos of the White House's festive décor. This year's theme celebrates the U.S. Constitution, as she explained: "For this year's holidays at the White House, we hope to capture the spirit embodied in the very idea of America: We the People." She added, "As our country gathers for the holidays, traditions may vary, but our shared American values — a belief in possibility, optimism, and unity — endure each season. Room by room, visitors will be reminded of what brings us together during the holidays, and throughout the year."
The photos shared by the first lady (and seen here on the Daily Mail) show just a few of the displays that will welcome the 50,000 tourists expected to walk through America's House. One of the displays has ornaments of all 50 state birds, three are dedicated to Gold Star families, and the ones in the China Room are decorated with dishes and baking utensils. First Pets Commander and Willow Biden — a German Shepherd pup and a gray tabby cat — are represented in three areas as well. Then, the traditional gingerbread rendition of the White House is joined by another gingerbread building: Philadelphia's Independence Hall, home of the Constitution.
Dr. Biden's followers were delighted by this year's layout, but some couldn't help making comparisons to the ghost of a White House past.
The memory of Melania Trump's red trees lives on
The 2022 White House Christmas decorations — put up just a little early in the season — are both joyous and varied; in addition to traditional pines, there are trees made of books and candles. "The soul of our nation is, and always has been, 'We the People.' And that is what inspired this year's White House holiday decorations," explained Dr. Jill Biden (via AP News). Followers praised the festivity; a representative tweet rejoiced, "Stunningly beautiful. I love the traditional feel and look. Congratulations to all who played a part in the displays."
Other commenters raved that it was far better than the Yuletide décor that graced the halls when Melania Trump was first lady. In 2018, she commissioned a display of 40 deep red trees that was widely criticized for looking more creepy than jolly (via NPR). "Oh, I really miss those red Christmas trees from years ago — said no person ever," went one tweet. "So no 'Handmaid's Tale' theme," laughed another. Still another follower remembered the year Melania had the Colonnade hall lined with sparse twig bunches underlit for a dramatic effect. "So much more inviting than the Gauntlet of Doom in 2017," they said.
The Bidens' display even impressed a user who admitted not being a fan of the administration. "Perhaps the one and only patriotic thing you have done for this country so far," she wrote. "I love it and can say good job."