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2016 Official White House Christmas Ornament Fact Sheet

  • The White House Historical Associationcommissions the official White House Christmas ornament each year.
  • This is the 36th ornamentin the series begun in 1981.
  • The ornament honors 31st U.S.President Herbert Hoover and is inspired by the fire engines that responded tothe 1929 Christmas Eve fire at the White House and the toy trucks presented tochildren by the Hoovers the following Christmas.
  • President and Mrs. Herbert Hoover were entertainingstaff and family at a White House Christmas party when the fire broke out inthe West Wing.
  • The four-alarm fire brought nineteen enginecompanies and four truck companies to the White House. Although the West Wingexterior walls survived, the roof, attic, and floors were burned or warpedbeyond repair.
  • The West Wing was rebuilt using a specialappropriation passed by Congress and Hoover and his aides were able to use thespace again in April 1930.
  • For Christmas in 1930, the Hoovers presented toyfire trucks to children in remembrance of the fire.
  • The ornament design includes a tree for deliveryto the White House.
  • The ornament is American-made by ChemArtmanufacturing in Lincoln, Rhode Island and has been every year since theprogram’s inception.
  • The ornament is for sale by the White HouseHistorical Association for $20.95.
  • Ornaments will be available for purchase online (Shop.WhiteHouseHistory.Org)or in Association stores on February 11, 2016.
  • All proceeds from the sale of the ornamentssupports the Association’s nonprofit, nonpartisan mission to fundthe acquisition of furnishings and artwork for the White House permanentcollection, assist in the preservation of the historic rooms, and educate thepublic on the history of the White House.
  • Kayla Whelan, a student designer at MontserratCollege of Art, won the Association’s national art school design competition tocreate this year’s design.
  • Kayla will graduate from Montserrat College ofArt in May of 2016 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree with a concentration inGraphic Design.
  • Montserrat College of Art is located in Beverly,MA with a student population of 400. A variety of concentrations in the fineand applied arts are offered, with minors in art history and creative writing.

Additional Information

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