At the press preview of the White House Christmas decor, the primary designer of the rooms was noticeably missing from the media festivities. Instead, the First Lady released a short video of herself walking through the decorated rooms with no explanation as to what the theme means to her.
The Toronto Star reports it was puzzling to many members of the press, as there seem to be so many personal touches on behalf of Melania Trump which she could easily promote in a press tour of the White House for this festive time of year. For example, Trump included one of her own favorite sugar cookie recipes in the official White House holiday printed program.
The First Lady’s spokeswoman, Stephanie Grisham cryptically stated that Trump decided to “to let the decorations speak for themselves.”
Instead of the traditional tour given by former First Ladies like Michelle Obama and Laura Bush, Trump was a no-show and had the members of the media go on a “self-guided” tour of the holiday decorations, allowing them to broadly draw their own conclusions.
The dominant color is red, sparking jokes about the use of Donald Trump’s recycled long ties.
The first lady posted a video on Twitter showing how the White House will be decorated this holiday season. https://t.co/Us7QFSXZ56
— HuffPost (@HuffPost) November 26, 2018
Forty towering all-red topiary trees line the hallway, and the First Lady’s office claims that red is a symbol of bravery.
“The choice of red is an extension of the pales, or stripes found in the presidential seal designed by our Founding Fathers. It is a symbol of valor and bravery.”
But in leaving the interpretation to the press and to social media, many had a different take on what is being called “blood red trees,” calling it the “hallway of Yuletide murders,” “the avenue of blood red trees” and ominous.
The Red Room’s theme was “Be Best,” Melania’s anti-bullying campaign, with “Be Best” tree ornaments and wreaths made of pencils with the same logo.
The First Lady’s press guide also had a message that wished everyone a Merry Christmas.
“This is a joyous time of year when we decorate the White House for the Christmas season,” the First Lady said in an official statement.
“Our theme honors the heart and spirit of the American people…. On behalf of my family, we wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.”
There was no mention of Chanukah, the holiday celebrated by at least part of the Trump family, with no visible nod to the holiday anywhere within the White House. The winter holiday celebrated by the Jewish people, including Jared Kushner, Ivanka Trump, and their children begins next week.
