Donald Trump & Barack Obama's Second Christmas Cards Have Different Takes On The Season
With the holidays in full swing, Christmas cards are taking over the internet and postal service (are yours in the mail yet?). The Trumps are the latest in the world of public figures to release theirs and in a surprising twist, it's pretty close in line with traditional designs, from its green color scheme to its calligraphic font. One might even say that it rings reminiscent of cards we saw while President Barack Obama was in office. Let's take a look at presidential Christmas cards in the past, like Trump's 2018 Christmas card versus Obama's 2010 Christmas card, for example, shall we? While they're similar at first glance, they have one big — and oh-so-predictable — difference.
When it comes to holiday decorations, President Trump and President Obama have both proven to have very firm tastes. While Obama has often opted for modern designs, with subtle colors and artsy accents, Trump has tended to stick with traditional ones, including vibrant color schemes and of course, gold lettering. Exhibit A: For 2018, Trump's Christmas card features an overriding color scheme of green, with a shiny gold outline of the White House. Inside, there's a holiday wish and, of course, the signatures of the president, first lady, and their pre-teen son, Barron Trump.
The level of simplicity puts it not that far off from the card released at the same point of Obama's tenure in 2010. However that year, Obama's Christmas card went in the exact opposite direction from Trump's more recent and more colorful choice, featuring a simple yet elegant photo of a snow-covered White House The image showed snow topping the shrubs outside of the mansion and peppered over the trees for a total winter wonderland vibe.
The one big difference, though? Take a look at the messages. While both wish their recipient a happy New Year, the rest of the holiday message takes a different tack. President Obama chose to wish everyone a happy "holiday," which presumably includes other winter celebrations, such as Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and Yule. Trump, for his part, went hard on his holiday of choice, wishing everyone a "Merry Christmas." It's probably not a surprising difference, given that Trump has frequently pushed the phrase over the more inclusive "happy holidays," but it's still worth noting.
Of course, what's a holiday card without a photo? Donald and Melania's 2018 Christmas portrait showed the pair dressed in elegant threads, her sporting a sparkly gown, and the president opting for a classic tuxedo. The photo was apparently taken in the Cross Hall of the White House, which was crowded with rows of green Christmas trees, decorated in dazzling white lights and cherry red ornaments, and other shiny decor. It just screams Christmas:
At the same point in Obama's presidency, he and Michelle Obama chose equally classic looks. President Obama also wore a tuxedo while Michelle went for a dazzling gown. Behind them is — you guessed it — a massive Christmas tree (although that one was decorated with blue ornaments and trinkets rather than red). Get a load of this classic snapshot:
Take a good, long look, because who knows when the next time you'll see such similarities between them again, as their styles have definitely conflicted at times. For example, also in 2018, the White House was decorated with some rather, um, unique designs. There are all-red Christmas trees lined throughout the house (which are either daring or utterly horrific, depending on who you ask), pencil wreaths stamped with Melania Trump's "Be Best" logo from her anti-bullying initiative and more. Look:
In 2010, the designs at the White House were... simple. In other words, the Christmas trees were natural-colored, the decorations were, err, normal, and the color scheme was traditional. Take a closer look at Trump's 2018 decorations versus Obama's 2010 decorations and prepare to be stunned.
Either way, it's always fun to see what designs are cooked up in the White House. Let's see what's to come next year.
Happy Holidays!
