The real story behind this adorable picture of the Obama family

Earlier this month, the gorgeous Obama family sent out its last holiday card from the White house and made the world go super nostalgic.

So, the White House holiday card that the first family of the United States of America sent out all these years usually carried pictures of the different areas in the White House during the season. Some of them had a snowy picture of the White House while some carried their dog’s picture enjoying the winter season. They were all beautiful.

For instance, this 2012 holiday card.

But this year was something different. This year’s card featured the oh-so-good-looking Obama family with signatures of not only President Obama, first Lady Michelle Obama and their daughters Sasha and Malia but also their pets Bo and Sunny.

Turns out, there’s a story behind this stunning picture. Did you know that the picture was taken at Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s request?

White House photographer Pete Souza recently revealed that it was Justin Trudeau who asked him to click this picture. Pete Souza explained in an Instagram post as to how they hosted Canadian Prime Minister for a formal State Dinner. He goes on to explain that he had clicked a family photo of the Obama’s just before the dinner. However, during the dinner, after clicking several pictures of the Justin Trudeau and his wife along with other regular pictures, the Canadian Prime Minister told Pete that he should click a photo of just the Obama’s. He obliged.

And, that my friend is the picture you see on the Obama family 2016 holiday card. How amazing is that?

This family. What can I say. What an honor to have photographed them for eight years. A couple of months ago, the Social Office came to me and said they were thinking of using a family photo for this year’s White House holiday card. So I thought of Justin Trudeau. I know you’re wondering what the heck I’m talking about. Earlier this year we hosted the Canadian Prime Minister for a formal State Dinner. Malia and Sasha attended as guests. Before the dinner, I did a family photo in the White House residence. But later, when the Trudeaus arrived, the two families spent some time on the Truman Balcony with their respective delegations. At one point, the Prime Minister asked if we could do a photo of he and his wife with the Obama family. Click, click, click. Then, he said I should do a photo of just the Obama’s. I could have said, “sir we already did one before you arrived.” But instead, I clicked off a few quick frames. And lo and behold, it was this picture that Justin Trudeau asked me to take which everyone loved as the choice for the 2016 White House holiday card.

A photo posted by Pete Souza (@petesouza) on Dec 15, 2016 at 10:47am PST