Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

niyad

(112,449 posts)
Wed Nov 28, 2018, 02:09 PM Nov 2018

Seeing red: why Melania Trump's crimson Christmas trees are so jarring

Seeing red: why Melania Trump's crimson Christmas trees are so jarring


The first lady’s meme-ready holiday decorations detach viewers from nature, according to psychology experts


?itok=uN-yjARyy pioneer Dr Toby Israel of Melania Trump’s holiday decorations, made from red berries.
‘I’m not going to recognize that is a tree,’ said design psychology pioneer Dr Toby Israel of Melania Trump’s holiday decorations, made from red berries. Photograph: Andrea Hanks/Planet Pix via ZUMA Wire/REX/Shutterstock


and then there was last year's . . . .whatever they were:
?quality=85&crop=0px%2C347px%2C4446px%2C2501px&resize=1012%2C569&strip


Shortly after Melania Trump unveiled the White House’s Christmas decor on Monday, one key design element – a “forest” of cone-shaped, crimson trees – spurred tongue-in-cheek uproar on Twitter. These 40 meme-ready trees were compared to car-wash brushes, juxtaposed with iconic blood waves in Stephen King’s The Shining and photoshopped to don white bonnets – a clear reference to the long-suffering women in Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale.

While much of the lampooning was surely prompted by disdain toward her husband’s policies, several psychology experts told the Guardian that Trump’s holiday aesthetic may just be inherently jarring for the human psyche.

Dr Toby Israel, a pioneer of design psychology, said the heavily red set-up detaches viewers from nature, thus the psychological comfort associated with the natural world. “So, for example, we have a green Christmas tree, that’s about nature – and the best that nature has to offer,” whereas with these towering red plants: “I’m not going to recognize that is a tree, [as] something that connects us to the universe.” The red trees also “have the association of not just being different, but blood or rage, shock” during an era that feels particularly violent and divided, Israel said.

The Washington Post pointed out that per the first lady’s office: “The choice of red is an extension of the pales, or stripes found in the presidential seal designed by our Founding Fathers. It is a symbol of valor and bravery.”

. . . .

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/nov/28/melania-trump-red-christmas-trees-white-house-decorations

34 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Seeing red: why Melania Trump's crimson Christmas trees are so jarring (Original Post) niyad Nov 2018 OP
I wasn't jarred at all by the color. For me it was the shape. RockRaven Nov 2018 #1
What can we expect? She's lived in seclusion in Trump tower for years amongst the cheap gold decor. Claritie Pixie Nov 2018 #2
She doesn't have an ounce of creativity and won't hire anyone who does. redstatebluegirl Nov 2018 #3
If someone had put some white or gold pine cones or balls or dangling icicles on them BumRushDaShow Nov 2018 #4
I was just thinking that, too.. cynatnite Nov 2018 #30
The red trees are typical Trump. madaboutharry Nov 2018 #5
What a great time to have a MAGA hat tree. That's probably what swayed them to that horrible color. CozyMystery Nov 2018 #11
Tasteless bdamomma Nov 2018 #28
My mind went to The Red Forest The Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant Zone of Alienation lunasun Nov 2018 #6
that valor and bravery comment got me as well. niyad Nov 2018 #7
Not Santa.... Satan C_U_L8R Nov 2018 #8
I think of a scene from "The Holiday"-- "that title needs to be red--chistmas red, not scorcese red" niyad Nov 2018 #9
More toxic waste Sugar Smack Nov 2018 #10
In nature, red is a signal of poison. WhiteTara Nov 2018 #12
excellent point niyad Nov 2018 #22
There is something wrong with that woman. Could this be a cry for help? smdh Hekate Nov 2018 #13
I really don't care Retrograde Nov 2018 #14
Nah, not really. But two Decembers in a row she has produced truly weird holiday decor. ... Hekate Nov 2018 #20
They don't say, "Merry Christmas" imo eleny Nov 2018 #15
Next Christmas the trees will be gold, and for the 2020 finale the trees will be orange dalton99a Nov 2018 #16
looking forward to skull ornaments Hermit-The-Prog Nov 2018 #17
from afar, they don't look like berries.. more like melted wax. Demovictory9 Nov 2018 #18
upside down cranberry snowcones? niyad Nov 2018 #23
last year's buckets of white branches reminds me of visiting the flower mart in downtown LA Demovictory9 Nov 2018 #19
I love that flower mart!! niyad Nov 2018 #21
you an assemble your own buckets of white branches or tree of berries Demovictory9 Nov 2018 #25
The color is as partisan as possible malaise Nov 2018 #24
does her decorator also dress her? samnsara Nov 2018 #26
Will someone who isn't me post what Stephanie Miller calls those trees? rzemanfl Nov 2018 #27
Used Kotex. Nt Blue_playwright Dec 2018 #32
That was later. I was thinking of the one before. Tampon trees. n/t rzemanfl Dec 2018 #33
I missed that one!!! Blue_playwright Dec 2018 #34
Runway to show off her weird outfits. July Nov 2018 #29
Maybe she's trying to gross out donald with the Ilsa Nov 2018 #31

RockRaven

(14,785 posts)
1. I wasn't jarred at all by the color. For me it was the shape.
Wed Nov 28, 2018, 02:13 PM
Nov 2018

Not tree-like at all, but solid cones. That's what looked weirdest to me.

Claritie Pixie

(2,199 posts)
2. What can we expect? She's lived in seclusion in Trump tower for years amongst the cheap gold decor.
Wed Nov 28, 2018, 02:16 PM
Nov 2018

She is fake, the entire family is fake. No surprise she'd choose those hideous trees.

BumRushDaShow

(127,345 posts)
4. If someone had put some white or gold pine cones or balls or dangling icicles on them
Wed Nov 28, 2018, 02:21 PM
Nov 2018

then maybe that would have softened them. Otherwise they look unfinished and unnatural, which only accentuates the monotone.

madaboutharry

(40,153 posts)
5. The red trees are typical Trump.
Wed Nov 28, 2018, 02:24 PM
Nov 2018

The Trumps are tasteless and gaudy people. Subtle and serene isn’t in their wheelhouse. I am surprised there aren’t gold disco balls hanging from the ceiling.

bdamomma

(63,665 posts)
28. Tasteless
Thu Nov 29, 2018, 07:56 PM
Nov 2018

and no class, but you would think they would gravitate to green=money. Which is all that matters to these greedy treasonous bastards.

lunasun

(21,646 posts)
6. My mind went to The Red Forest The Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant Zone of Alienation
Wed Nov 28, 2018, 02:25 PM
Nov 2018

Radiation will detach most life from nature ....
I also think of this local artist here in Chicago Nick Cave and his soundsuits
https://m.


I don’t think either of my thoughts were the WH inspiration though....valor and bravery huh? Trump? No

C_U_L8R

(44,897 posts)
8. Not Santa.... Satan
Wed Nov 28, 2018, 02:29 PM
Nov 2018

They certainly aren't Santa red. They look more... demonic, like fountains of blood from the fiery evil pit.

niyad

(112,449 posts)
9. I think of a scene from "The Holiday"-- "that title needs to be red--chistmas red, not scorcese red"
Wed Nov 28, 2018, 02:31 PM
Nov 2018

Hekate

(90,206 posts)
20. Nah, not really. But two Decembers in a row she has produced truly weird holiday decor. ...
Wed Nov 28, 2018, 09:39 PM
Nov 2018

Does she hire a dropout from an interior design school? A third-rate avant garde artiste? I mean really, what the hell gives with that stuff? Inquiring minds want to know.

Demovictory9

(32,326 posts)
19. last year's buckets of white branches reminds me of visiting the flower mart in downtown LA
Wed Nov 28, 2018, 08:28 PM
Nov 2018

where you buy those branches by the bucket full.

Demovictory9

(32,326 posts)
25. you an assemble your own buckets of white branches or tree of berries
Thu Nov 29, 2018, 07:43 PM
Nov 2018

I love it. just hate the crowds and parking issues.

July

(4,750 posts)
29. Runway to show off her weird outfits.
Thu Nov 29, 2018, 08:27 PM
Nov 2018

The identical trees or branches line a narrow path where Bolonia has her picture taken as she shows off her bizarre fashions.

Although I question whether Mrs. Chump was ever a serious haute couture model, as she claims to have been, she seems to be comfortable only when posing as a fashionista, whether in the White House or in Cairo. That's the skill that earned her a "genius" visa! Or was she just a pretty young escort who knew that a little enhancement could buy her a repulsive sugar daddy and a green card?

What a comedown she is from Michelle Obama, whose speech she plagiarized.

Latest Discussions»General Discussion»Seeing red: why Melania T...