President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump have once again found themselves amid online mockery after releasing their 2025 Christmas card, which features the couple looking serious and dressed in black. The White House shared the holiday greeting on X on Tuesday, one day before Christmas Eve.
In the photo, the president and first lady stand in front of the White House’s festive decorations but wear straight-faced expressions that many critics said lacked holiday cheer. “Merry Christmas from President Donald J. Trump and First Lady Melania Trump,” the official White House account wrote alongside the image.
According to The Irish Star, social media users quickly reacted, with several comparing the card to a funeral portrait. One user wrote, “They look like they’re going to a funeral,” while another joked, “Gosh, how cheerful.” Others questioned why the pair did not smile.
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The tradition of celebrating Christmas and giving out cards, gifts, and other tokens of appreciation in the White House has existed since 1953. While the card was meant to honor Americans and celebrate the beauty of the occasion and spread joy, Christmas traditions in general differed from president to president.
For instance, during former president John F. Kennedy’s time, the official White House Christmas Cards featured a wide green silk-screened banner on a smooth white stock, followed by a printed stamp.
Similarly, during Ronald Reagan’s eight years as the 40th president of the United States, he and First Lady Nancy Reagan made White House Christmas cards a thoughtful and artistic tradition.
Each year, the power couple selected a different artist to create an original depiction of the White House at Christmas time. These works highlighted the building’s architecture, natural surroundings, and warm atmosphere. Eight one-of-a-kind cards reflected the vibe of the White House during the holiday season.
The number of cards printed grew significantly during Reagan’s presidency, increasing from 65,000 in the early years to about 125,000 by the end of his time in office. As for 2025, Melania Trump has personally overseen the decorations, alongside overseeing other traditional duties such as the turkey pardoning and hosting Thanksgiving dinner.
A Christmas card from President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump is displayed at the White House pic.twitter.com/bzcEJ7uNUF
— FLOTUS Report (@MELANIAJTRUMP) December 1, 2025
This year’s decorations in the White House include more than 50 Christmas trees, hundreds of feet of garland and ribbon, 10,000 butterflies, gingerbread displays weighing 120 pounds, and portraits made from thousands of puzzle pieces.
This year follows the theme “Home is Where the Heart Is.” In a statement released December 1, she said the theme reflects the idea that home is defined by warmth and love rather than location.
“This Christmas, let’s celebrate the love we hold within ourselves and share it with the world around us,” she wrote. Meanwhile, the Christmas card release came just days after a trailer for Melania Trump’s upcoming documentary, titled “Melania,” which will hit theaters on January 30, 2026.
The film explores Melania Trump’s role as the wife, mother and mentor and the challenges she faced in the spotlight. It also examines her thoughts on life in the White House amid public opinions and limited privacy.
‘HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS’: First Lady Melania Trump brings timeless Christmas elegance to the White House with glowing garlands, signature Christmas cards, and a standout LEGO portrait of President Trump.🎄 pic.twitter.com/KyaoQbcwoP
— Fox News (@FoxNews) December 1, 2025
Amazon reportedly paid $40 million for the rights to the documentary, which is a significant investment for a non-fiction film. Directed by Brett Ratner, even Melania invested money in this project as a producer. The documentary will have both a theatrical and streaming release.
Aside from the documentary, the mother of one also debuted as an author, releasing her first-ever book, which includes personal anecdotes from her life along with previously unseen photographs, providing the world a glimpse of who she is beyond her public image and role.
