White house holiday cards offer cheer through the decades

Nothing says “Season's Greetings” more than a holiday card sent by the family residing in America’s most famous home, the White House.​ In this nearly-century-old tradition, White House

holiday greeting cards are mailed out to both very important people (VIPs) and very important friends (VIFs). In fact, over past decades the number of cards mailed has gone from 1,854 sent

by President John F. Kennedy in 1962 (his last Christmas alive) to, according to one researcher, more than 2 million in 2004, under President George W. Bush. ​ How the White House celebrates

Christmas is an apolitical subject that “unifies the country, whether you’re Republican, Democrat, whatever,” says the researcher, Mary Evans Seeley, 80, author of _Season’s Greetings from

the White House_, a book on White House Christmas traditions. The year-end holiday festivities, including the lighting of the National Christmas Tree in December, are valued by whichever

party holds office and “bring the country together,” she says. ​ President Trump sent out this golden family holiday card in 2020. Courtesy Lori Ferber Presidential Collectibles Over the

decades, White House holiday cards have been whimsical, classic, cozy and colorful. They’ve been grand (the Trump family’s 2020 raised golden map of the United States printed on a golden

card) and playful (the Obama family’s 2013 card opened to a pop-up of the White House with dogs Sunny and Bo roaming out front).​ This year’s holiday card from the Biden White House is

signed by “Joe” and “Jill” and features paw prints from the family’s dog, Commander, and cat, Willow. Courtesy of The White House President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden are continuing

the tradition this year with a red card featuring cutouts of holly and berries.​ THE ‘KINDEST, SIMPLEST GESTURE’​ The coveted holiday cards are collected and valued by those passionate

about White House memorabilia. Some cards highlight photographs of the first families, but others showcase original art commissioned by the White House occupants. ​ Artist Thomas McKnight’s

works depicting the White House Red Room, Blue Room and Green Room were used for President Clinton’s family holiday cards from 1994 to 1996. Courtesy Thomas McKnight To mark President Bill

Clinton’s second Christmas in the White House in 1994, about 250,000 holiday cards were sent out, according to artist Thomas McKnight, whose casein-on-canvas artwork was featured on the

card. The painting was a whimsical take on the mansion’s Red Room, depicting a candlelit, gift-laden Christmas tree and Socks, the family cat, warmed by a roaring fire. The painting was

copied and later mass-produced as a card by American Greetings. ​