The first lady skipped the traditional press preview of the decorations, which had a red motif.
WASHINGTON – First lady Melania Trump skipped the traditional press preview of the White House holiday decorations Monday, tweeting out a 56-second video of herself wandering through the glittery, dressed-up rooms in a dark coat and boots.
Was she upstairs baking star-shaped sugar cookies using her recipe, which appears in the official White House holiday printed program?
Her spokeswoman, Stephanie Grisham, said Trump decided “to let the decorations speak for themselves.”
Members of the media were invited on a brisk 30-minute self-guided tour through the holiday wonderland of more than 20,000 feet of lights and 12,000 bows, put up over the past few days with the help of 225 volunteers. Official theme: American Treasures. The color red was big, appearing in a dramatic forest of 40 towering crimson topiary trees in the East Colonnade and on 14,000 ornaments in the Grand Foyer and Cross Hall.
The first lady’s office described the red motif: “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.”
However, the unconventional grove of red trees evoked an immediate reaction online. They were described as scary and referred to as the “hallway of Yuletide murders,” “the avenue of blood red trees” and ominous.
Green Room decorations celebrate the country’s harvest and include fruits, grains and vegetables, including aptly colored artichokes and tomatoes, which were artfully arranged on mantels and antique tabletops. The East Room featured mantel pieces trimmed with silhouetted skylines of New York, St. Louis, Chicago and San Francisco.
