Free Republic

…a choice that breaks from a modern tradition of featuring images of the White House on the card. . . . Malia and Sasha “dazzle” in elegant, embroidered gowns designed by Naeem Khan, that are worth nearly $20,000. Each. There’s not much of a Christmas-y feel to the card, other than being framed by Christmas holly clipart. Fittingly, Bill Clinton was the first modern president to use a family photo on a White House Christmas card in 1993. You have to go back to Franklin D. Roosevelt — another Democrat — to find another family portrait in use.

Is First Lady Michelle Obama sporting a taste for ultra-expensive fashion pieces, or is she cementing her status as a savvy shopper? Back in April she wore a pair of $540 Lanvin sneakers at a Washington food bank. Earlier this week (while strolling the wooded landscape outside of Moscow), she carried a sexy black clutch, which Italian luxury house VBH boasts is their shiny black alligator manila bag – with a retail sticker price of $5,950. The White House flatly denies that Obama bought such a high-priced accessory, and says that she was carrying a patent clutch that retails for...