Rubenstein Center Scholarship
White House Christmases Past
The White House observance of Christmas before the twentieth century was not an official event. First families decorated the house modestly with greens and privately celebrated the Yuletide with family and friends. The first White House Christmas tree, decorated with candles and toys, was placed in the second floor oval room, then used as a library and family parlor, in 1889 for President Benjamin Harrison and his family. In 1894, three years after electricity was introduced in the White House, the first electric lights on a family tree delighted the young daughters of President Grover Cleveland. In 1912, President William H. Taft's children helped decorate the first tree on the State Floor in the Blue Room.
The White House at Christmas traditionally has been a magical place for children. From the earliest times memorable parties have been held for the president's children or grandchildren. One of the most elaborate was President Andrew Jackson's "frolic" for the children of his household in 1835. This party included games, dancing, a grand dinner, and ended with an indoor "snowball fight" with specially made cotton balls.
President Theodore and First Lady Edith Roosevelt hosted a "carnival" during the 1903 Christmas season for 500 children including dinner, dancing, musical entertainment, souvenirs, and a special treat in the form of ice cream formed in the shape of Santa and other Christmas novelties. One popular myth suggests that Theodore Roosevelt "banned" Christmas trees at the White House, but there is little evidence to support this beyond the Roosevelts not putting up a tree. The Roosevelts traditionally celebrated the holiday with gifts, church service, and a family meal, but they did not celebrate with a tree. In 1902, Archie Roosevelt snuck a small tree into the White House and hid it upstairs in a closet. He later revealed the decorated tree to his family, starting a new family tradition. The president was amused and allowed it to continue while the family lived at the White House. Historians, commentators, and writers later reasoned that Roosevelt didn’t have a large tree because of his beliefs in conservationism, when in fact it was because the family did not traditionally celebrate Christmas with a tree. The custom of a "Christmas tree" in every house is a relatively modern one.
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In 1961, First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy began the tradition of selecting a theme for the official White House Christmas tree. She chose a “Nutcracker Suite” theme that featured ornamental toys, birds, and angels modeled after Pyotr Tchaikovsky's "Nutcracker" ballet. The ornaments were made by disabled volunteers and senior citizen craftspeople throughout the United States.
Robert Knudsen, White House/John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum/NARA -
In 1962, First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy reused many of the Nutcracker ornaments for her children's theme tree. Set up in the Entrance Hall, this festive tree featured brightly wrapped packages, candy canes, gingerbread cookies, and straw ornaments.
White House Historical Association -
In both 1965 and 1966, First Lady Claudia “Lady Bird” Johnson’s Blue Room Christmas trees were decorated with an early American theme. The 1966 tree (pictured above) featured thousands of small traditional ornaments, including nuts, fruit, popcorn, dried seedpods, gingerbread cookies, and wood roses from Hawaii. Paper-maché angels graced the tops both the trees. For the 1967 holiday season, Mrs. Johnson used Santa Claus cookies, soldiers, snowmen, dolls, tinsel, silver balls, silver stars and round mirrors. In 1968, traditional American ornaments were used, along with popcorn strings, children’s toys, gingerbread, seedpods, and others from previous years.
Kevin Smith, Lyndon B. Johnson Library and Museum/NARA -
First Lady Patricia Nixon ‘s 1969 "American Flower Tree" stood in the North Entrance. Disabled workers in Florida made velvet and satin balls representing the fifty states and their respective flowers. For the 1970 Blue Room tree, the American Flower ornaments were used along with fifty-three "Monroe" gold foil lace fans—inspired by James and Elizabeth Monroe’s portraits in the Blue Room. In 1971, 144 gold foil angels joined these trimmings. First Lady Patricia Nixon’s 1972 Christmas theme drew upon two White House collection paintings by Severin Roesen: Still Life with Fruit and Nature's Bounty. The tree featured fifty velvet-covered state balls, 3,000 satin finish balls, and 150 gold Federal stars. A 1973 "gold" theme tree with gold bead strings and balls honored President James Monroe, who bought gilded tableware for the White House in 1817.
Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum/NARA -
In 1975, First Lady Betty Ford selected the theme "An Old-Fashioned Christmas in America," also referred to as "A Williamsburg Children's Christmas" for the tree that year (pictured above). Colonial Williamsburg staff and volunteers contributed a majority of the nearly 3,000 ornaments that decorated the Douglas fir, using materials such as dried flowers and fruit, acorns, pinecones, straw, and yarn. The Museum of American Folk Art lent the White House ten antique portraits of children to place on the walls of the Blue Room, as well as an assortment of old toys, dolls, cradles, a train, rocking horse, and a wagon to place around the base of the tree. In 1976, the tree featured more than 2,500 handmade flowers, including the flowers of all fifty states.
White House Historical Association -
First Lady Rosalynn Carter explored a variety of holiday themes during her time at the White House. Her 1977 Blue Room tree featured painted milkweed pods, nut pods, foil, and eggshell ornaments made by members of the National Association for Retarded Citizens.
Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum/NARA -
In 1978, First Lady Rosalynn Carter decorated an "antique toy" tree with Victorian dolls and miniature furniture lent by the Margaret Woodbury Strong Museum. In 1979, she honored American Folk Art of the Colonial period with 500 handmade ornaments. She revived a Victorian theme in 1980 with dolls, dollhouses, parasols, nosegays, hats, fans, tapestries and laces, representing a turn-of-the-century American Christmas.
Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum/NARA -
First Lady Nancy Reagan’s official 1981 Blue Room tree featured animal ornaments made of tin, fabric, and wood. The Museum of American Folk Art in New York provided many of the wooden ornaments for the tree. In 1982, First Lady Nancy Reagan arranged for groups of teenagers involved in Second Genesis, a drug treatment program in Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia, to make foil paper cones and metallic snowflakes for the tree.
Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum/NARA -
In 1983, First Lady Nancy Reagan re-used the foil paper cones and metallic snowflakes on a tree featuring old-fashioned toys, dollhouses, and miniature furniture lent by the Margaret Woodbury Strong Museum (pictured above). In 1984, volunteers from Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, along with staff of the Brandywine River Museum, fashioned some 2,800 ornaments out of plant and natural materials. The 1985 tree featured 1,500 ornaments made by staff and Second Genesis volunteers out of Christmas cards sent to the Reagans in 1984.
Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum/NARA -
In 1986, volunteers from Second Genesis made fifteen soft-sculpture nursery rhyme scenes and over 100 ornaments for a "Mother Goose" tree. For the 1987 "musical" tree, they decorated miniature instruments, notes, and sheet music. For First Lady Nancy Reagan’s 1988 “old–fashion” tree (pictured above), White House carpenters made 300 wooden candles, and hand-blown glass ornaments were reused from the Dwight Eisenhower administration and the Nixon state flower balls from 1969.
Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum/NARA -
First Lady Barbara Bush chose a theme of "children’s literacy" for the Blue Room Christmas tree of 1989. She had the Executive Residence staff create 80 soft-sculpture characters from popular storybooks. Tiny books completed the motif, and below the tree’s branches were books wrapped with bows.
George Bush Presidential Library and Museum/NARA -
In 1990, First Lady Barbara Bush revived "The Nutcracker" with little porcelain dancers and ballet slippers. White House florists dressed the figurines, and a castle from the Land of Sweets was constructed by White House craftspeople. The Saintly Stitchers of St. Martin's Episcopal Church in Houston, Texas, assisted the staff with the "needle work" tree of 1991. They created a needlepoint village and 1,200 needlepoint ornaments, including the figures for a wooden Noah's Ark built by staff carpenters. For the 1992 tree theme of "Gift-Givers," White House florists fashioned 88 different "gift-giving" characters such as St. Nicholas, the Three Wise Men, and the Bishop of Myra.
George Bush Presidential Library and Museum/NARA -
In 1993, the theme was “Year of the American Craft.” The Clintons invited artisans to make original works of art and ornaments out of fiber, ceramics, glass, metal and wood. In 1994, the theme was “The Twelve Days of Christmas.” Over 2,000 ornaments were made, each representing the whimsical gifts referenced in the popular holiday song. In 1995, Mrs. Clinton based the tree decorations after the popular nineteenth-century poem, "Twas the Night Before Christmas" (pictured above). The Fraser fir featured nearly 3,500 handmade ornaments related to the poem, such as miniature houses, chimneys, rooftops, and shutters made by students from across the country. This photograph of President Bill Clinton and First Lady Hillary Clinton posing in front of the Blue Room Christmas tree was taken on December 3, 1995.
William J. Clinton Presidential Library and Museum/NARA -
In 1996, Mrs. Clinton chose the popular “Nutcracker Suite” theme, decorating the tree with toy soldiers, sugar plum fairies, and mouse kings of various stripes. In 1997, the theme was “Santa’s Workshop” and featured miniature Santa Clauses, toys, sleighs, and reindeer ornaments. In 1998, the theme was “A Winter Wonderland,” and the tree featured painted wooden ornaments, knitted mittens and hats, and snowmen. In 1999, the Clintons chose “Holiday Treasures at the White House,” and the decorations represented significant historic landmarks, events, and people. For their last Christmas in the White House, Mrs. Clinton selected the nostalgic theme "Holiday Reflections" for the decorations. The Blue Room tree featured 900 of the Clintons' favorite ornaments from their previous seven Christmases in the White House. This photograph of President Bill Clinton and First Lady Hillary Clinton posing in front of the Blue Room Christmas tree was taken on December 3, 2000.
William J. Clinton Presidential Library and Museum/NARA -
In 2001, First Lady Laura Bush chose "Home for the Holidays" as the White House Christmas tree theme. Artists from all fifty states and the District of Columbia designed model replicas of historic homes and houses of worship to hang as ornaments (pictured above). In 2002, Mrs. Bush adopted the theme "All Creatures Great and Small," which featured past presidential pets and other animals throughout the house; the tree was decorated with bird ornaments. The 2003 theme, "A Season of Stories," featured ornaments first used by First Lady Barbara Bush in 1989 and loaned to the White House by the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum. In 2004, First Lady Bush selected the theme "A Season of Merriment and Melody," which included a symphony of musical instruments hand-painted by members of the Society of Decorative Painters.
George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum/NARA -
The 2005 "All Things Bright and Beautiful" tree featured fresh white lilies, crystal garlands, and white lights (pictured above). In 2006, the Christmas tree sparkled with crystals and ornaments of iridescent glass to "Deck the Halls and Welcome All." During the 2007 "Holiday in the National Parks," artists decorated 347 ornaments representing national parks, memorials, seashores, historic sites, and monuments across the country. For her last Christmas in the White House, Mrs. Bush chose the patriotic theme, "A Red, White, and Blue Christmas," and trimmed the official Christmas tree with 369 ornaments designed by artists from around the country selected by members of Congress.
George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum/NARA -
First Lady Michelle Obama began her White House Christmas planning with a very simple idea: to include as many people, in as many places, in as many ways as possible. In 2009, Mrs. Obama asked sixty local community groups from around the nation to "Reflect, Rejoice, Renew," and redecorate 800 ornaments from previous White House administrations. The ornaments paid tribute to favorite landmarks such as the Statue of Liberty, Mount Rushmore, and Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago.
Official White House Photo by Lawrence Jackson -
In 2010, the White House celebrated "Simple Gifts." The Blue Room Christmas tree was themed, "Gift of the American Spirit," and it featured prize ribbons from state and county fairs from each state and territory (pictured above). First Lady Michelle Obama also added a "Military Appreciation Tree" to the White House in 2010. Located near the visitor’s entrance, the tree was decorated with glass bulb ornaments representing the five branches of the military and topped with a handmade dove. In 2011, the theme was “Shine, Give, Share” and the tree honored service members with holiday cards created by military families. In 2012, Mrs. Obama selected the theme “Joy to All,” and the Blue Room tree featured ornaments made by military children living on U.S. bases around the world as a way to honor of their parents’ commitment to serve.
Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy -
In 2013, First Lady Michelle Obama chose the theme "Gather Around: Stories of the Season" (pictured above). Military families created greeting cards in the shape of their home states for the official Blue Room Christmas tree. The Obama family pets have also helped to spread holiday spirit each year. In 2013, the White House displayed life sized, moving replicas of dogs Bo and Sunny made of 1,000 yards of satin ribbon. In 2014, the theme was “A Children’s Winter Wonderland” and the tree was decorated with “America the Brave” ribbons and banners, as well as ornaments made out of coloring book pages by children. In 2015, the theme was “A Timeless Tradition,” and the Blue Room tree was wrapped in ribbons with messages for service members and a gold star garland. For their last Christmas in the White House, the Obamas chose the theme “The Gift of the Holidays.” The Blue Room tree had ornaments with images of families, farmers, and service members, and the garland featured language from the Preamble to the United States Constitution.
Official White House Photo by Pete Souza -
In 2017, First Lady Melania Trump selected the theme “Time-Honored Traditions” and the Blue Room tree was decorated with glass ornaments depicting the seal of every state and territory. For their second holiday season in the White House, the Trumps chose the theme "American Treasures" for their decor. "American Treasures" was inspired by American heritage and patriotism, and featured iconic landscapes and cityscapes. There were also replicas of major monuments such as the Lincoln Memorial, the Jefferson Memorial, the Washington Monument, and the Capitol. In 2019, the theme was “The Spirit of America,” and the Blue Room tree was outfitted with handmade flower ornaments representing every state and territory.
Matthew D'Agostino for the White House Historical Association
President Calvin Coolidge was the first chief executive to preside over a public celebration of the Christmas holidays with the lighting of the National Christmas Tree in 1923. Today, the Christmas Pageant of Peace, a major event held annually on the Ellipse since 1954, includes the lighting of the National Christmas Tree. This celebration respects the holiday worship of all faiths and features the appearance of the first family to light the tree and host live musical and dance performances.
Although previous presidential administrations displayed Christmas trees indoors throughout the State Floor, it was First Lady Mamie Eisenhower who consistently placed a tree in the Blue Room. First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy began the tradition of selecting a theme for the official White House Christmas tree in the Blue Room in 1961. That year, the tree was decorated with ornamental toys, birds, angels, and characters from the "Nutcracker Suite" ballet. The tradition of installing the official tree in the Blue Room was interrupted twice. In 1962, the tree was displayed in the Entrance Hall because of renovation work. In 1969, First Lady Patricia Nixon chose the Entrance Hall for the American Flowers Tree, which was decorated with velvet and satin balls made by disabled workers in Florida and featuring each state’s official flower.
Over her eight White House holiday seasons, First Lady Hillary Clinton showcased the talents of America's artistic communities. First Lady Laura Bush varied the decorations, including the themes of "All Creatures Grand and Small in 2002" highlighting her love of animals and the importance of pets to White House history and a patriotic "A Red, White and Blue Christmas" in 2008. The theme had been inspired by letters from Americans that began arriving after September 11th suggesting the White House have a red, white and blue Christmas. First Lady Michelle Obama announced the 2010 White House Christmas theme of "Simple Gifts." She explained, "The greatest blessings of all are the ones that don't cost a thing: the time that we spend with our loved ones, the freedoms we enjoy as Americans and the joy we feel from reaching out to those in need."
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