The White House is reopening its doors to Americans for public tours of the 2025 Christmas decorations designed by first lady Melania Trump for the first time since 2020.
Every year, the first lady — regardless of whether the president is a Republican or Democrat — enjoys the annual tradition of transforming the White House into a winter wonderland, filled with the magic of Christmas and holiday cheer. And each first lady has the opportunity to determine what that magic is, and how it fits with the administration’s messaging.
During the first Trump administration, first lady Trump ensured her decor had a classic, patriotic theme.
FIRST LADY MELANIA TRUMP DECORATES THE WHITE HOUSE FOR CHRISTMAS: ‘HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS’
In 2017, the first year of the Trump administration, all eyes were on the first lady. Her theme was “time honored traditions,” which included classic decorations exuding national pride, support for the military and traditional Christmas — a nod at President Donald Trump’s “America First” messaging. Melania Trump was criticized that year for using an all-white theme, with House Beautiful magazine saying she used “a terrifying amount of white.”
In 2018, Melania Trump’s theme was “American treasures,” which again, highlighted American history with a gingerbread version of the National Mall, a Fraser fir tree decorated with state ribbons in the Blue Room and more. In the East Colonnade, the first lady decorated with bold red trees, and the Green Room featured American folk art.
MELANIA TRUMP UNVEILS WHITE HOUSE CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS, THEME FOR 2020
Melania Trump was criticized for her use of all red Christmas trees.
In 2019, the theme was “The Spirit of America,” which again focused on states, with state flowers and symbols as ornaments on the trees in the Blue Room; the U.S. military, with a tree honoring Gold Star families; and gingerbread houses designed like American landmarks.
The first lady’s decor also frequently highlighted her “Be Best” campaign, which raises money for foster children.
And in 2020, during the final year of the first Trump administration, and during the end of the first year of the global COVID-19 pandemic, Melania Trump’s theme was “America the Beautiful,” which featured patriotic decorations consistent with President Trump’s “America First” theme, like Gold eagles, mini model trains in the State Dining Room, and gingerbread houses replicating national parks.
By 2021, then-first lady Jill Biden had the opportunity to put her mark on the Christmas decor, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, with her first theme of “Gifts from the Heart.”
The theme sought to emphasize unity and faith, by focusing on “gifts.” One tree featured book-shaped ornaments to celebrate learning; military medallions and volunteer patches as ornaments to celebrate service; and the gift of hope and faith with stars and white doves as ornaments.
In 2022, Biden’s theme was “We the People,” which reinforced the Biden administration’s focus on democracy — with gold doves, olive branches and ornaments shaped like local landmarks from all 50 states.
In 2023, Biden shifted to the theme “The Magic, Wonder, and Joy of the Holidays,” which featured oversized toy trains, nutcrackers and characters to encourage imagination.
Biden was criticized for the video shared by the White House featuring the 2023 decorations, which featured dancers tapping around the decorated White House.
In 2024, first lady Biden’s theme was “A Season of Peace and Light,” featuring crystal orbs in the East Colonnade to represent “light in darkness.” The trees were decorated in the Blue Room with paper stars and signs of peace, with trees wrapped in white and gold garlands and more.
The Christmas decorating tradition began in 1961, when then-first lady Jackie Kennedy began the tradition of selecting a theme for the official White House Christmas tree. Kennedy chose a “Nutcracker” theme, with ornaments made by disabled volunteers and senior citizens throughout the country.
But even before the first lady took over the responsibility of selecting the theme, the White House decorated for Christmas. First families decorated with greens, and Christmas trees.
According to the White House Historical Association, the first known White House Christmas tree was decorated just with candles and was set in the Oval Room on the second floor in 1889.
Tinsel, tradition and messaging: The politics behind White House holiday decorations 2025 IUSTITIA.BG – Investigations 2009-2025 2025-12-02 09:52:52 Latest news World news Country news Most important news latest news most important latest of the day Justice Petar Nizamov Feathers Petar Nizamov- Feathers Justice bg iustitia.bg iustitia iusticia usticia investigation Burgas Bulgaria news news of the last hour news of the day news of today Bulgaria news The news from Bulgaria blitz news top news most important most commented latest news Boyko Borisov news weather coronavirus news news weather facebook youtube facebook instagram news today news of the last minutes news today today news news bg news leading news hot news bg news site for news all news news bg news of the last hour latest latest news bg news of today news today news today news of the last hour latest news today news bg news news 24 hours news vesti bg novini news world bird bg bivol bg bivol trud bg novini latest news today novinite bg news hello bulgaria political party coat of arms delyan peevski scandalous Bulgarian National Television Free Europe Television scandal exclusive live tv live right now tv tv online tv program bg live now tv news online tv online live court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas district court Burgas appellate court Burgas prosecutor Burgas prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Prosecutor General Ivan Geshev Prosecutor Geshev Tsatsarov Ministry of Internal Affairs Burgas ODMR Burgas ODPR Burgas police Burgas district police Burgas prosecutor Tsatsarov SGS cases Varna court chairman of the SGS court decisions on civil cases decisions on cases Plovdiv court decision of the court decisions cases Varna court criminal cases district district court decisions work in the court SGS chairman of the SGS judges Sofia court post judges Plovdiv court Plovdiv judges Plovdiv Supreme Court Inspectorate Supreme Court Supreme Judicial Council lawyer lawyer criminal cases lawyer civil cases lawyer marriage cases lawyer administrative criminal law criminal process civil law civil process administrative law constitutional law
