Aside from Melania's role as the ultimate holiday spin doctor, smoke and mirrors have been the primary Trump White House decor until now. As with most things beloved, President Trump has co-opted Christmas as his own. Implying that prior presidents had secularized the season with a politically correct emphasis on "holiday." However once again, history shows that nothing could be farther from the truth. In fact presidents have been uttering "Merry Christmas" for over two centuries. Decking the White House halls with Christmas cards, creches, and trees. Been there done that!
I'll be honest. Until I started my deep dive, I'd never paid any attention to White House holiday decor. Thus I was a bit surprised upon viewing Melania's elaborate East Room nativity creche. There it sat ensconced within a curtained niche a la some Portuguese palace. However said presentation has been le mode de la nativite' since 1967. Mrs. Charles Englehard Jr. - the wife of a wealthy industrialist donated this 18th century hand-carved Neapolitan extravaganza to the White House. It has been on display since. Proving that billionaires and Jesus still have an inn in Washington.
1954
1966
1967
1976
1978
1980
1999
2004
2008
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
BLUE ROOM TREE
Conspiracy theories aside, the White House
has gone green since the nineteenth century.
To our left sits Grover Cleveland's tree in all
it's cluttered Victorian glory within the Blue
Room. Since the Kennedys there has been a
presidential tradition of posing before said
statement in formal attire. Following is one
per administration as said shots are often not
all that flattering. To date the Trumps have
yet to pose for theirs. Hmm... do you wonder
what will Melania wear? One could go out on
a limb and assume that there may be one more
surprise under the White House tree this year!
FRANKLIN & ELEANOR ROOSEVELT 1933-1945
HARRY & BESS TRUMAN 1945-1953
DWIGHT & MAMIE EISENHOWER 1953-1961
JOHN & JACQUELINE KENNEDY 1961-1963
LYNDON & LADYBIRD JOHNSON 1963-1969
RICHARD & PAT NIXON 1969-1974
GERALD & BETTY FORD 1974-977
JIMMY & ROSALYNN CARTER 1977-1981
RONALD & NANCY REAGAN 1981-1989
GEORGE & BARBARA BUSH 1989-1993
BILL & HILLARY CLINTON 1993-2001
GEORGE & LAURA BUSH 2001-2009
BARACK & MICHELLE OBAMA 2009-2016
DONALD & MELANIA TRUMP 2016-
MAIL CALL
Last comes greetings of the
season. Calvin and Grace
Coolidge are acknowledged
as the first duo to issue an
official White House holiday
greeting. As indicated by his
note at left, Calvin celebrated
the season with conviction.
Every administration since
has done just that year after
year. All reflecting both the
office and season. And what
could be merrier than that?!
COOLIDGE, HOOVER, ROOSEVELT
ROOSEVELT, TRUMAN
TRUMAN, EISENHOWER
EISENHOWER, KENNEDY, JOHNSON
NIXON, FORD, CARTER, REAGAN
REAGAN, BUSH, CLINTON
CLINTON
BUSH, OBAMA
OBAMA
TRUMP
