The Obamas' Last White House Holiday Card Is Here

The holiday season is starting to gear up, and like your perfect neighbors from across the street, the Obama family already beat you in sending out their holiday cards. The Democratic National Committee sent out the official 2016 White House holiday card, which features a beautiful memory from the Obamas' last year as the first family and a hopeful message from the new year. Compared to their seasonal greeting from their first year in the White House, this year's holiday card shows how much the Obamas have grown over the last eight years.

The 2009 White House holiday card was a simple and classy white card with an ornate golden presidential seal on the front. According to WhiteHouseChristmasCards.com, the message on the inside of the card read, “May your family have a joyous holiday season and a new year blessed with hope and happiness.” One might think the message of peace and joy would be universally appreciated and respected, but President Obama and the card actually received legitimate Congressional backlash.

South Carolina Representative Henry Brown introduced House Resolution 951 to condemn the religiously neutral and inclusive holiday card. The resolution, which was co-signed by 40 other representatives on both sides of the aisle, stated that the House "recognizes the importance of the symbols and traditions of Christmas strongly disapproves of attempts to ban references to Christmas; an expresses support for the use of these symbols and traditions by those who celebrate Christmas." Brown even took time out of his busy Congressional schedule to pen an op-ed for U.S. News and World Report about his love of Christmas. Yes, this is a thing that actually happened. If you want a piece of one of the sillier stories in America government, you can still buy the card on Amazon.

Bittersweetly, the American people have a lot more serious stuff to focus on these days, so the fervor over the Christmas-less holiday cards has died down. The Obamas retained the nondenominational spirit of accessibility in the card, but added a more personal touch than their first year's greeting. The final Obama White House Christmas card features a family picture from Sasha and Malia Obama's first state dinner in March, along with the message, "As our family reflects on our many happy years spent in the White House, we are grateful for the friends we've made, the joy we've shared and the gifts of kindness we've received. We wish you and your loved ones a joyous holiday season and a wonderful new year."

The openness with which the Obamas shared their lives with the American people over the last eight is a heartwarming and humbling reminder of what it means to be the president. The Obama family's relatability and inclusivity has truly made them a first family for the people, and their graceful sacrifice of privacy is one of the things everyone should appreciate them for. As the Obamas prepare to leave the White House, their final holiday card reminds the nation that the president's family is part of everyone's family, and that few could have played the part as beautifully and graciously as the Obamas.