First lady Jill Biden announced this season’s Christmas theme, “We the People.”
“These words are the foundation of our extraordinary country and the Soul of our Nation,” the official White House news release said.
The “Battle for the Soul of the Nation” was the divisive speech given by Joe Biden where he condemned “MAGA ideology” as a “threat to democracy.”
“Democrats, independents, mainstream Republicans: We must be stronger, more determined, and more committed to saving American democracy than MAGA Republicans are to — to destroying American democracy.”
The decorations are certainly an interesting choice, with flat bell decorations and mistletoe standing in stark contrast to a somber “We the People” banner and the White House imagery above the doorway to the East Entrance of the White House.
In another room, giant, gold stars with the names of fallen soldiers are wrapped around red, white and blue trees.
The Blue Room has a Christmas tree with a strange touch adorning its base.
“The individual tree trimmings shine on their own, but woven together, this unified collection transforms a humble fir into a stunning symbol of We the People,” the news release said.
While it does explain that there are “renderings of the official birds from all 57 states, territories, and the District of Columbia” adorning the tree, it provides no explanation as to what exactly the decoration below the tree is.
At first it appears to possibly be intertwined antlers, but after closer inspection it seems to be a strange crisscrossing array of sticks and branches — maybe attempting to replicate a nest for the birds adorning the tree.
One visitor was particularly disturbed by the odd display:
What the is this nonsense? Did they sacrifice Santa’s reindeer? Is this a demonic Krumpus tree? Did the Balenciaga designers dream this nightmare up too ? https://t.co/XYtc43zya7 pic.twitter.com/kc9BROe5Qp
— Cranky Shoebill (@memphis253) November 28, 2022
With such odd decoration choices, many yearned for a return to the more traditional decorations of Melania Trump.
Melania did better https://t.co/uZ9wP9rvS9 pic.twitter.com/jsQ4oTyuQc
— Fans Nuria Bermúdez (@CanalBermudez) November 28, 2022
Melania’s simple but breathtaking decorations featured snow-covered Christmas trees, entryways covered by Christmas greenery and a nativity scene.
The nativity, absent from this year’s decorations, is of course the true reason for the Christmas season.
According to Pew Research, almost 50 percent of Americans celebrate Christmas as a mostly religious holiday rather than a cultural holiday.
They also found that 56 percent of adults see the religious aspects of the holiday being emphasized less and less in American society.
Here, in Melania’s 2019 Christmas decoration, we can see angels over a beautiful nativity display, flanked by two colorfully decorated trees.
For millions of Americans, it was a refreshing homage to Christ’s birth and the greatest gift we’re given in God’s love for us.
In the 2022 White House, the Biden family pets are also included in multiple rooms, with a painted poster board cutout of their dog, Commander, sticking his head out of a giant present in the Vermeil Room.
The decorations from the Biden family are more or less in line with the 2021 showing, with grade school cut outs of circles, stars and doves lining the windows hung from fishing line.
The themes from both years are nearly identical, with rooms dedicated to learning, honoring service and gratitude popping up across both years.
As our country gathers for the holidays, traditions may vary, but our shared American values — a belief in possibility, optimism, and unity — endure each season.
Room by room, visitors will be reminded of what brings us together during the holidays, and throughout the year. pic.twitter.com/IpQ9rUc2F4
— Jill Biden (@FLOTUS) November 28, 2022
Kindness, compassion and thankfulness are of course all wonderful gestures, but they ignore and further secularize one of the most important days of the year for Christians not just across the U.S., but around the world.
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.