White House Christmas decorations are up and opinions are, predictably, divided

The White House is all aglow for the holidays.

First Lady Melania Trump skipped an in-person appearance with the press on Monday and introduced the holiday decor via a prerecorded video. Press toured the "American Treasures"-themed decorations, which include a tree trimmed by Gold Star families, topiary trees and the White House Christmas tree, which is about 18 feet tall. 

This year's traditional gingerbread house is actually an entire complex: The gingerbread National Mall includes the Capitol, Lincoln Memorial, Jefferson Memorial, the White House and the Washington Monument.

Red is a key color in this year's decor, with more than 14,000 red ornaments hanging from 29 trees in the Grand Foyer and Cross Hall, according to a release.

More striking is the army of red topiary trees lining the East Colonnade.

"The choice of red is an extension of the pales, or stripes, found in the presidential seal designed by our Founding Fathers. It's a symbol of valor and bravery," the release stated.

As with most things in Washington, D.C., reactions to the decorations were predictably mixed. 

Gaining the most derision? The hall of red trees, which drew comparisons to everything from a "Sesame Street" slaughter to the flood of blood from "The Shining" to the garb worn by enslaved women in "The Handmaid's Tale."