Will There Be A 2017 White House Christmas Decorating Show Be On Directtv

8 tips to keep your Christmas tree alive

The claim: The White House referred to Christmas trees as holiday trees; Ben Stein's response

Christmas decorations are on display in the Cross Hall and Blue Room of the White House on November 30, 2020 in Washington, DC. This year's theme for the White House Christmas decorations is "America the Beautiful."

© Drew Angerer, Getty Images Christmas decorations are on display in the Cross Hall and Blue Room of the White House on November 30, 2020 in Washington, DC. This year's theme for the White House Christmas decorations is "America the Beautiful."

During Benjamin Harrison's presidency in 1889, a Christmas tree was displayed in the second floor Oval Room, starting an annual holiday tradition at the White House.

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But a myth that has resurfaced on social media claims President Joe Biden's administration is referring to the White House decorations as "holiday trees" instead of Christmas trees, prompting writer and economist Ben Stein to release a rant on "CBS Sunday Morning News."

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The post, which was shared to Facebook on Oct. 17 and has more than 2,700 shares in 10 days, claims Stein criticized the White House for using "holiday trees" and said he doesn't mind when people tell him "Merry Christmas" even though he is Jewish.

"Funny how you can send 'jokes' through e-mail, and they spread like wildfire, but when you start sending messages regarding the Lord, people think twice about sharing," the post quotes Stein as saying.

The message, which was recently shared across Facebook, has circulated online for years, making its way to newsletters, Pinterest, online forums and blog pages.

But there is no evidence the White House is referring to Christmas trees as "holiday trees," and Stein only authored a small portion of the lengthy statement that has been repeatedly attributed to him.

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The Facebook users who shared the post did not return requests for comment.

'Holiday Tree' hoax

Claims that the White House said Christmas trees would be referred to as "holiday trees" first surfaced online in 2009 and again in 2011, when President Barack Obama was in office.

However, fact-checking organizations debunked the rumor at the time, and there is still no truth to the claim.

The websites for the White House Christmas tours and the National Christmas Tree Association make no mention of a "holiday tree."

Additionally, the White House Historical Association released the 2021 Christmas ornament, which on one side features a painting of the "1967 Blue Room Christmas Tree."

According to local news reports, the 2021 White House Christmas tree was selected from Peak Tree Farm in Jefferson, North Carolina. It will be cut down in November and sent to Washington, where it will be decorated and displayed in the White House Blue Room.

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The North Carolina Christmas Tree Association shared images of the Fraser fir to Facebook with the caption, "The Official White House Christmas Tree."

Stein on Christmas

While Stein did release a message about Christmas, he only authored a portion of the statement included in the posts. That was in December 2005, and it wasn't in response to the White House purportedly referring to Christmas trees as holiday trees.

According to an archived version of Stein's website, he wrote he doesn't feel "threatened" or "discriminated against" when people tell him "Merry Christmas" even though he is Jewish and doesn't celebrate the holiday.

However, the second half of the message was added by someone who used quotes from Anne Graham Lotz, daughter of the late evangelist Billy Graham, during an interview on CBS News after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

According to BreakTheChain.org, a site that debunks chain letters, the "funny how" section included at the end of post has been previously attached to "sappy stories about an atheist girl and a handicapped boy, among others."

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In 2014, the same message was misattributed to Wired editor Steven Levy, who wrote, "No. I did not go on CBS Sunday Morning to express my rage at the White House for calling its annual fir a 'holiday tree.'"

Our rating: False

Based on our research, we rate FALSE the claim that the White House referred to Christmas trees as "holiday trees." Websites for the White House and National Christmas Tree Association do not include any reference to holiday trees, and the hoax has been previously debunked. Further, Stein is only responsible for a small section of the text included in the posts, and his statement wasn't in response to a decision made by the White House.

Our fact-check sources:

PolitiFact, Oct. 14, 2009, Chain e-mail claims the Obamas plan to change a holiday tradition
FactCheck.org, Nov. 10, 2001, We Repeat, Still a Christmas Tree
White House, accessed Oct. 26, White House Christmas Tours 2021
National Christmas Tree Association, accessed Oct. 26, The White House Christmas Tree
White House Historical Association, accessed Oct. 26, Official 2021 White House Christmas Ornament
ABC 11, Oct. 21, 2021, White House Christmas tree will come from North Carolina
Fox 46 Charlotte, Oct. 20, White House Christmas tree chosen from Peak Farms in North Carolina
White House Historical Association, accessed Oct. 26, The Blue Room
North Carolina Christmas Tree Association, Oct. 20, Facebook post
TruthorFiction, March 17, 2015, Ben Stein Commentary on Christmas
BenStein.com, Dec. 24, 2005, Stuff Ben Wrote (Archived)
CBS News, Sept. 13, 2001, Where Is God? (Archived)
BreakTheChain.org, May 23, 2003, She Said He Said
Wired, Dec. 17, 2014, How I Became an Unwilling Conscript in the War on Christmas

Thank you for supporting our journalism. You can subscribe to our print edition, ad-free app, or electronic newspaper replica here.

Our fact-check work is supported in part by a grant from Facebook.

Weeks after controversy ensued over a recording of Melania Trump making negative remarks about decorating for Christmas, the first lady unveiled the 2020 White House decorations. This year's theme is "America the Beautiful."

We start with the Cross Hall leading to the East Room of the White House. This year brought a traditional-style of decor, with plenty of green Christmas trees with white lights and red ornaments.

The Green Room of the White House is decorated during the 2020 Christmas preview on Nov. 30, 2020.

A toy truck is seen on display in the East Room.

The Blue Room of the White House is decorated with a large tree during the 2020 Christmas preview.

The East Room of the White House is decorated during the 2020 Christmas preview.

The Grand Staircase of the White House is decorated during the 2020 Christmas preview.

Decorations and ornaments cover a tree in the Blue Room of the White House during the 2020 Christmas preview.

Decorations sit beneath a tree in Cross Hall during the 2020 Christmas preview at the White House.

The State Dining Room of the White House features more Christmas spirit.

The Red Room of the White House features a Christmas tree at its center during the 2020 Christmas preview.

A Christmas tree and decorations are on display in the Red Room of the White House.

Christmas trees are lit with lights in the East Room of the White House on Nov. 30, 2020.

A White House gingerbread house is showcased in the State Dining Room of the White House as part of the Christmas decorations.

Christmas decorations are on display in the Cross Hall and Blue Room of the White House, featuring lines of Christmas trees.

Christmas decorations are displayed in the East Room of the White House.

Red ornaments hang on the trees in the Cross Hall of the White House on Nov. 30, 2020.

An extra hint of green is prominent in the Green Room of the White House as a Christmas tree and decorations are on display.

A U.S. Space Force themed ornament hangs on a Christmas tree at the White House on Nov. 30, 2020.

Garland decorates the door frame in the Cross Hall and Blue Room of the White House on Nov. 30, 2020.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Fact check: Posts falsely claim White House is referring to Christmas trees as 'holiday trees'

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Will There Be A 2017 White House Christmas Decorating Show Be On Directtv

Source: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/fact-check-posts-falsely-claim-white-house-is-referring-to-christmas-trees-as-holiday-trees/ar-AAQ1JYZ?li=BBnb2gh

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