Melania Trump receives White House Christmas tree as holiday season preparations begin

Melania Trump welcomes the White House Christmas tree and prepares to unveil her 2025 holiday decorations

Melania Trump received the 2025 White House Christmas tree on Monday, marking her first Christmas season back at the residence since several holiday controversies during Donald Trump’s previous term.

The tree arrived from Korson’s Tree Farms in Michigan, which won the National Christmas Tree Association’s Grand Champion Growers title earlier this year. The winning farm traditionally provides the official White House tree, a practice that has continued for nearly six decades.

The tree was selected in September by Dale Haney, the White House superintendent of grounds. Its arrival signals that the first lady will soon reveal this year’s decorating theme, a subject that drew significant public discussion during her earlier tenure.

In 2017, Melania chose a conventional approach to the seasonal display. The following year, she unveiled a series of red, cone-shaped Christmas trees that quickly prompted widespread speculation online. Viewers compared the colour and shape to imagery from The Handmaid’s Tale and scenes from The Shining.

At the time, the White House said the red design referenced the stripes of the presidential seal, describing them as a symbol of valour and bravery. Melania defended the display, saying, “I think they look fantastic… everyone has a different taste.”

Further attention surrounded a 2020 report from CNN, which published a leaked 2018 audio recording in which Melania expressed frustration about the responsibility of seasonal decorating.

In the recording, she said she was “working … my ass off on the Christmas stuff” before questioning the criticism she faced while addressing unrelated political matters.

This year, Melania has already shared brief previews of her decorating plans. In October, she posted a video showing a gold-themed arrangement featuring garlands and ornaments. She later presented her Halloween decorations, opting for a simple display with pumpkins and autumn leaves outside the residence.