The Official Trump White House Christmas Portrait Is A Festive End To 2018

Regardless of whether you've decorated your tree, made Christmas cookies or done lots of fa-la-la-la-ing, it's not really the holidays until the White House releases its official Christmas portrait. From the dazzling designs to the stunning looks of the president and first lady, there's something about the photos that makes you want to get into the seasonal spirit. That said, get ready for it to start feeling a lot like Christmas, because Donald and Melania Trump's 2018 Christmas portrait is here and it's a perfectly festive treat.

On Tuesday, Dec. 18, Melania Trump shared the photo to her Twitter, which shows her and President Trump hand-in-hand, beaming for the cameras. The first lady chose a sparkly form-fitting, long-sleeve gown for the photo while the president sported a classic tuxedo. Rows of glowing Christmas trees, decorated with white lights and cherry red ornaments, are seen lined up perfectly behind them. Trump wrote in the caption that the portrait was taken on Saturday, Dec. 15, in the Cross Hall at the White House. “Merry Christmas from President Donald J. Trump and First Lady Melania Trump,” said her tweet.

Here's a closer look at their outfits:

Classy.

If there's anything we can agree on here, it's that the portrait is, um, quite the change from other decorations in the White House. This year, the White House was decorated with the theme "American Treasures," which, per a press release from the first lady, is intended to "[honor] the heart and spirit of the American people." Some of the designs, unveiled on Nov. 26, include a pencil wreath bearing Melania's "Be Best" logo from her anti-bullying initiative. There are also various blood red trees throughout the White House, which fueled a bunch of references to The Handmaid's Tale and a slew of horror films. And don't get me started on all the other decorations with stark colors and unique designs. Here's a look:

As you could probably imagine, the jokes were so, so bad.

One person declared, "Melania's Christmas decorations look like they're straight out of the Shining."

Despite the criticism, Melania later defended the decorations, saying during a Nov. 28 appearance, "We are 21st century and everybody has a different taste. I think they look fantastic. She added, "In real life they look more beautiful and you’re all very welcome to visit the White House, the people’s house." Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, I guess.

Moreover, there was similar backlash in 2017, when people said her designs gave them Beetlejuice and other horror film vibes. Have a look for yourself:

Let Twitter tell it, there was a monster lurking somewhere in the White House.

According to a Nov. 26 statement from the White House, more than 30,000 guests will visit the White House in December for a public tour, where they'll get to see all the Christmas decorations and more. Sounds like the perfect opportunity to decide how the decor looks for yourself — and maybe you can get a Christmas portrait for the road while you're at it.