Christmas came early for the internet thanks to the First Lady’s White House decorations.
With the help of 150 volunteers from 29 states, Melania Trump filled her high-profile home with Balsam fir trees dripping with “icicles” and trimmed with glass ornaments emblazoned with the seal of each state and territory, unveiled Monday. For her entrance from the residence into the Grand Lobby, ballet dancers performed to The Nutcracker.
“The President, Barron, and I are very excited for our first Christmas in the White House,” the First Lady said in a statement. “As with many families across the country, holiday traditions are very important to us. I hope when visiting the People’s House this year, visitors will get a sense of being home for the holidays.”
On the campaign trail, Christmas was a regular talking point for the President. “You go to stores, you don’t see the word Christmas,” Donald Trump said in 2016. “It says ‘happy holidays’ all over. I say, ‘Where’s Christmas?’ I tell my wife, ‘Don’t go to those stores.’ . . . I want to see Christmas.”
And so unsurprisingly, Christmas was on fully display with the theme “Time-Honored Traditions.” Those jars filled to the top with peppermint candies? Cranberry trees? Nods to Nancy Reagan, and the theme continued to deck the halls.
None of the photos were ever going to make it out of 2017 without getting the full meme treatment. For internet critics, one photo of a dimly-illuminated decoration-lined hallway was the gift that kept giving.
FLOTUS’s Director of Communications Stephanie Grisham’s tweet went viral quickly and predictably.
See below for all of the pop culture comparisons the internet couldn’t resist from The Chronicles of Narnia to Silent Hill.
More Must-Reads from TIME
- Where Trump 2.0 Will Differ From 1.0
- How Elon Musk Became a Kingmaker
- The Power—And Limits—of Peer Support
- The 100 Must-Read Books of 2024
- Column: If Optimism Feels Ridiculous Now, Try Hope
- The Future of Climate Action Is Trade Policy
- FX’s Say Nothing Is the Must-Watch Political Thriller of 2024
- Merle Bombardieri Is Helping People Make the Baby Decision
Contact us at letters@time.com