Holiday Cheer, Hot Takes: How Elected Officials Should Show Up on Social Media Right NowYour blog post

New Gallup data released this week shows that large majorities of Americans now believe both major parties use inflammatory language that has gone too far — 69% say this about Republicans and 60% say it about Democrats. Social media isn't the only place that rhetoric shows up, but it's where most residents experience it in real time.

White House social media accounts in particular have come under fire for provocative, meme-style posts about immigration — including controversy earlier this week using Sabrina Carpenter’s song “Juno” in a video depicting law enforcement apprehending individuals in apparent immigration actions.

In other words: the public is tired of overheated rhetoric, national leaders are modeling some of the worst examples, and yet this is exactly the moment local officials and community leaders feel pressure to be more visible online — especially during the holiday season when expectations around tone, unity, and empathy are high.

Following, we offer a practical playbook for officials and community leaders who want to stay present on social media, avoid being the next headline for the wrong reasons, and actually build trust (and useful feedback) with constituents in a noisy, emotional season.

The 2025 backdrop: a more skeptical public, and clearer rules for officials

Three dynamics are colliding right now. First, people are fed up with extreme rhetoric. The new Gallup polling is striking: not only do most Americans say both parties "go too far," they also blame inflammatory language from prominent figures and the spread of extremist content online as top drivers of political violence. For officials and local leaders, this creates a paradox: if you dial down the rhetoric, you worry about being drowned out. If you dial it up, you may be feeding exactly what residents say they're exhausted by.

Second, the rules of the game are getting clearer for public officials online. Social media isn't just "the town square" anymore; courts are increasingly treating it as part of how government communicates. In 2024, the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously ruled that public officials can sometimes be sued for blocking critics on their social media accounts when they're using those accounts to conduct official business. The Court set a new standard: if you have actual authority to speak on behalf of your government body, and you appear to be exercising that authority on social media, you may be subject to First Amendment constraints there too. For elected officials and community leaders, that means your social media presence is increasingly seen as part of your official infrastructure, not just your personal megaphone.

Third, holiday posts are no longer "safe content." Holiday messages used to be the easiest content on the calendar. Not anymore. Holiday greetings, decorations, and "fun" posts are now read as signals of who belongs, who doesn't, and what you think is a joke. That doesn't mean you should stop — but it does mean you should be intentional.

What this means for your social media strategy this holiday season

Let's translate the macro trends into concrete principles for elected officials, agency leaders, and community organizations.

Start by treating your social accounts as civic infrastructure, not a personal brand. Whether you're a mayor, councilmember, school board trustee, or agency director, assume that most residents experience you first through your feeds, not your office door. Assume that anything you post about public business may be treated as a public record and analyzed through a legal or ethical lens later. That doesn't mean your posts have to be sterile. It does mean you should clearly separate "campaign" or personal accounts from official ones, avoid mixing partisan attacks with announcements about services, emergency info, or resources, and be careful with blocking or muting — after the Supreme Court's 2024 rulings, that can be treated as restricting access to a public forum if you're using the account to do official work. The holiday translation here? A holiday greeting posted from your official account is part of your governing, not just your personality.

Next, design for trust, not just engagement. When trust is low and rhetoric is hot, traditional "engagement" metrics can mislead you. High comment volume might signal outrage, not connection. Viral quote-posts might be people mocking you, not amplifying your message. Instead of chasing raw engagement, look at response quality — how many comments are asking real questions or sharing experiences versus personal attacks or culture-war arguments? Look at participation spread: are you always hearing from the same 50 people, or are new voices showing up? And look at follow-through: when you ask for input on budget priorities or street safety, are you closing the loop by reporting back what you heard and what changed? A post that gets fewer likes but helps families understand winter heating assistance, transit schedules, or school meal changes is arguably more successful than a viral zinger.

Finally, use the holidays to model the rhetoric people say they want. If most Americans think both sides have gone too far with inflammatory language, that's an opening for you to stand out by doing the opposite. For holiday-season posts, consider a simple rule: "Would a reasonable resident who disagrees with me on policy still feel respected by this post?" Practically, that means emphasizing service, gratitude, and listening over self-congratulation. Highlight specific, tangible wins that made life better for residents this year. Thank frontline staff, volunteers, and community partners by name where appropriate. Acknowledge that the season is not joyful for everyone, like those facing housing insecurity, loneliness, or grief. And avoid "owning" or mocking opponents in a holiday context, using holiday imagery to soften or meme-ify policies that harm specific groups, or excluding or singling out particular faiths or communities when you don't need to.

A practical holiday-season social media plan for officials and community leaders

Here's a concrete, short-term plan you can adapt. Start by running a one-hour "tone audit" of your feeds. Pull your last 30–60 days of posts and ask: how many are informational (what residents need to know)? How many are celebratory (wins, ribbon cuttings)? How many are combative (calling out opponents, dunking on critics)? For posts with the most comments, what's the dominant emotion in responses? Then answer this: if a resident only saw these posts, what impression would they have of what I value? Would they know how to get help, ask a question, or participate? Use this to set a simple ratio for the holiday period — maybe 50% service information, 30% community spotlight and gratitude, 20% values or policy content framed in a non-inflammatory way.

If you're not sure what "good" looks like, you don't have to guess. With tools like GovFeeds, you can search thousands of local government social posts by keyword — things like "holiday lights," "warming center," "snowstorm update" — see what language other cities and counties use, and spot patterns in tone and topic.

Next, build a short holiday content series that centers residents, not you. Instead of one generic "Happy Holidays!" post, try a small series. You could do a "Season of Service" approach: one post highlighting three to five stories of residents, staff, or community groups who made a difference this year, with quotes, photos (with consent), and one concrete outcome for each. Another post could be a clear, graphic-friendly list of key seasonal resources like warming centers, food assistance programs, holiday transit or service changes, and mental health lines or community spaces. Then follow up with a listening prompt: ask one focused question about the year ahead, something like "What's one small thing that would make your neighborhood work better for you in 2026?" and commit publicly to reading responses and reporting back. This is also a perfect place to use GovFeeds for benchmarking and inspiration — search for how other municipalities talked about "snow emergencies," "holiday parades," or "budget hearings" and adapt the best, clearest phrasing for your own context.

Finally, create a "holiday response protocol" with your team before you hit post. Clarify who monitors comments and DMs, and during what hours. Decide what your response templates look like for appreciation, constructive criticism, and harassment or slurs. Set clear thresholds for when to hide or remove comments (threats, doxxing, hate speech, for example) and when to escalate a concern to staff (someone asking for help with housing, mental health, or safety). This helps you stay consistent and calm, even if a post attracts attention from outside your usual audience.

Sample holiday-season posts

Here are concrete, copy-paste-ready examples you can tweak. Replace the placeholders and adjust specifics to fit your situation.

If you're a mayor, try something like this for a gratitude post: "This season, I'm especially grateful for the people who keep CITY running: our sanitation crews, public works teams, first responders, teachers, transit operators, and so many others. Thank you for showing up in snow, rain, late nights, and early mornings so the rest of us can get where we're going safely. However you celebrate, I wish you rest, connection, and a sense of belonging here in CITY. My team and I are listening — and we're working to make 2026 a little easier for everyone who calls this place home."

For a help-focused post, you could write: "The holidays are not joyful for everyone. If you're worried about heat, food, or being alone this winter, CITY has resources to help: warming centers [link], food assistance [link], mental health support [link]. If you're able, consider sharing this post so neighbors who need it can see it. If you have trouble accessing any of these resources, comment here or call [office number] and my team will help."

If you're a city councilmember, a district-focused recap might look like: "Looking back on this year in DISTRICT 4, I'm grateful for the neighbors who showed up — at community meetings, online, and in everyday conversations. Together, we secured funding to calm traffic on [Street], launched a pilot to improve lighting near [Park], and supported small businesses on [Corridor] with [program]. In the new year, I want to hear from you: what one small change would make your block work better for you in 2026? Drop it in the comments or email me at [email]. I read every message."

For a holiday event with clear guardrails: "This Saturday, we're lighting the tree and menorah at [Location] at 6 p.m. Free hot chocolate, live performances from local students, and info tables on winter resources and volunteer opportunities. All are welcome. Please remember this page is a public forum — disagreement is okay, personal attacks are not. My team will be moderating comments so everyone feels safe participating."

School board members could thank staff this way: "To our teachers, bus drivers, cafeteria workers, custodians, counselors, and support staff: thank you. You've carried our students through another year of change and challenge. You've shown up early, stayed late, and done a thousand invisible things that make a difference. As we head into winter break, I hope you find time to rest and recharge. Our students are better off because of you — and so is our entire community."

Or share clear info for families: "Winter break is almost here! A few quick reminders for DISTRICT FAMILIES: Last day of school [date], classes resume [date], free meal sites during break [link or list], weather updates shared here, by text, and on [website]. If you have questions about schedules or services, you can comment below or call [district hotline]. We'll do our best to get you answers quickly."

Agency directors in public works might post: "Snow is in the forecast — here's how CITY is preparing, and how you can help. Crews will prioritize major roads, bus routes, and emergency access (map: [link]). Check the snow emergency parking rules for your block [link]. Please clear sidewalks within [timeframe] if you're able; if you need assistance, call [number] and we'll connect you to local volunteer groups. Our crews will be working overnight. If you see them out, give them space to work — and maybe a wave."

Human services directors could write: "This time of year, more neighbors turn to us for help with housing, food, and safety. If you or someone you know needs support, here's where to start: emergency shelter and housing assistance [link], food pantries and holiday meal programs [link], crisis lines and support [link]. You'll never be judged for asking for help. Sharing this post might be the way someone in your network learns where to go."

Where GovFeeds fits into your day-to-day

Holiday strategy is one part of the picture. The bigger opportunity is to build an ongoing habit of learning from what other governments are doing online instead of reinventing the wheel. That's what GovFeeds is designed for: it aggregates county and municipal social media posts into one searchable platform so public communicators can keyword-search what peers are saying about topics like "snow emergency," "hate incident," or "utility rate increase," compare messaging across cities and counties, and spot recurring themes, formats, and tone that resonate or backfire.

A simple workflow for this holiday season: search GovFeeds for a topic you're about to post on (something like "warming center," "holiday parade," "budget hearing"). Skim the examples from peer jurisdictions and note what's clear, what feels respectful, and what might stir unnecessary backlash. Draft your own post using your local specifics and values — but with the benefit of seeing what has already worked elsewhere. Save good examples in a shared folder or doc so your team has an evolving library of benchmarks. You still bring the judgment, empathy, and local knowledge. GovFeeds just gives you a better view of the digital public square you're operating in.

The opportunity in a tense season

The story of this moment is not just "things are polarized." It's also that residents are telling us clearly what they want less of — and what they might reward more of. They're saying they want less inflammatory language, less performative outrage, less content that treats them as an audience to manipulate. And implicitly, they're asking for more clarity, more empathy, more proof that their leaders are listening and reporting back.

The holiday season gives elected officials and community leaders a rare chance to reset the tone of their feeds, show what "better rhetoric" looks like in practice, and build habits that can carry into the next legislative session or school year. If you use this month to be a little more transparent, a little more accessible, and a lot more intentional about the words and images you put out, you'll be ahead of both the public mood and the legal curve when it comes to digital engagement.