The 2011 White House card. Inside message: "From our family to yours, may your holidays shine with the light of the season."

Former Gov. Sarah Palin is in a snit about the official White House Christmas card, saying that it just doesn't emphasize good American values like family, faith and freedom. In fact, it doesn't even say Christmas.

"A bit odd," was one of her comments to FOX News Radio.

Actually, it's not odd at all. Presidential Christmas cards, which go out to thousands of friends, supporters and perfect strangers, often offer "holiday greetings," or "joy of the season" and avoid any mention of Christmas (or Hannukah, Kwanzaa, Solstice, Saturnalia, Yule...) That was true for Republicans like Ronald Reagan and the Bushes as well as Democrats like Bill Clinton.

They often picture an interior or exterior shot from the White House. Sometimes the feature a tree, like last year's Obama card did; sometimes they don't.

For a link to a slide show of White House Christmas cards since 1967, compiled by Lonnell Johnson of the Columbus Christian Spiritual Examiner, click here.