Vice President JD Vance has reportedly sent out invitations for a Hanukkah party that said “Celebrating 50 years of Christmas.”
The incident was noted by Gabby Deutch, a reporter for Jewish Insider, who shared a photo of the invitation on X Wednesday.
The invite states: “The vice president & the second lady request the pleasure of your company for a Hanukkah reception at the vice president’s residence.” The event is scheduled for December 15.
Above this, in large cursive lettering, it reads: “Golden Noel,” followed by “Celebrating 50 years of Christmas at the vice president’s residence.”
A spokesperson for the vice president, a practicing Catholic, indicated the phrasing was intentional rather than accidental.
“The same branding for invitations was used for all holiday parties at the Vice President’s Residence,” a spokesperson for Vance told The Independent. “The Vance family is celebrating 50 historic years of Christmas at the Vice President's Residence. They look forward to welcoming all of their guests."
It’s not the first time the White House has included references to Christmas while celebrating Hanukkah, Deutch noted.
In November 2008, invites for then-President George W. Bush’s Hanukkah reception included images of Christmas trees.
Bush’s Press Secretary Sally McDonough apologized for the error, which she described as a “staff mistake,” noting that staffers failed to create multiple cards for various holiday events.