Trump and Biden send Christmas greetings as the country moves toward a peaceful transfer of power

Both outgoing President Joe Biden and President-elect Donald Trump sent out a holiday greeting on Wednesday to wish the country a merry Christmas. 

Trump, who will be moving back into the White House on Jan. 20, posted a message on his social media platform Truth Social, "MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!" He sent out a second “MERRY CHRISTMAS” post that included a picture of himself along with his wife Melania. 

In a post on the @POTUS presidential X account, Biden said: "For the last time as your president, it's my honor to wish all of America a very Merry Christmas. My hope for our nation, today and always, is that we continue to seek the light of liberty and love, kindness and compassion, dignity and decency. May God bless you all."

Compared to the last two periods between the presidential election and the inauguration, this one has been a relatively smooth ride. The shock to the nation when Trump beat Hillary Clinton in 2016 led to massive protests and hostility, and the contesting of the election after the 2020 voting in November, leading up to the Jan. 6 Capitol riots, was a traumatic and tense period for the country. 

While the country remains deeply divided, at least there is acceptance all around of the outcome of the 2024 election. 

“While the new year will mark a new chapter in Trump's political career, it also marks the end of Biden's decades-long stint at the top levels of Washington politics,” according to Fox News.