Christmas at the White House: Parties, Planning and Celebrating

Decorating, entertaining, cooking and traveling are holiday musts for many, and the same can be said for First Families.

Just as each administration stamps its signature on policies and protocols, they also leave some lasting impressions on Christmas décor at the White House. December is said to be the most popular month for White House visitors, thousands of which tour the historic property to admire the ornaments and size up the official tree. Comparable to a full-on Broadway production, organizing the extravaganza involves months of planning, considerable installing, and exacting in-house execution of 100-plus staffers and 300 volunteers, who pay their own way to pitch in. First ladies, of course, play a leading role and dictate the season’s annual theme. Jackie Kennedy was the first to put that idea in motion with her choice of Petra Tchaikovsky’s “The Nutcracker” in 1961. Their choices are typically selected in January and are always reflective of their personal style, according to Jennifer Pickens, author of  “Christmas at the White House.”

Despite how involved everything is, the end result – as in enjoying Christmas aligned with how others celebrate, according to the White House Historical Association’s chief education officer Matthew Costello. “Typically, if you look back over time, presidents and first families were waking up, enjoying time with their families and then there were gifts and usually a family meal. Some go to church – some don’t. In many ways it is very representative of how many Americans celebrate the holiday,” he said. “It’s just that one of us is the president of the U.S., and the rest of us are citizens.”

Making New Traditions

In 1981, Nancy Reagan kicked off another tradition – an annual White House ornament that can be purchased by anyone for their own at-home adornments. During their presidential race, Bill Clinton and Bob Dole exchanged official ornaments, according to Pickens. First ladies past and present have joined in the merriment with children, who visit the White House, as well as helping those less fortunate as Grace Coolidge did by distributing food baskets outside of the Salvation Army on Christmas Eve in 1923.  She also doled out 50 bouquets of White House roses to the homes of women, who worked in D.C. stores and had helped her with holiday shopping.

Some first ladies have been more zealous about Dec. 25 than others such as Mamie Eisenhower, who wrapped the white columns in red ribbons to resemble candy canes. Barbara Bush boarded a cherry picker to lift her high enough to place a star at the top of the National Christmas Tree in 1985. Eleanor Roosevelt was said to have shopped for Christmas gifts all year long and stash them in what she called the “Christmas closet.” Pat Nixon was also energized by the holidays, having once said, “You can’t overdo at Christmas time. The more the better as far as I’m concerned.” (To that point, the family once had a tree for their dogs.)

Former first lady Betty Ford had pamphlets about DIY ornaments made that the White House would mail to people, upon request. And after Pat Nixon made what some refer to as “the White House Christmas tree,” which consisted of stacks of red poinsettias, magazines informed readers how to make them at home. “That was a huge trend,” Pickens said. In 1969, Nixon started the tradition of the “Candlelight Christmas tour” to make the historic site more accessible to people. She even moved the official tree – with its 100 velvet and satin balls, 1,000 electric candles, 5,000 lights, golden garlands, and a gold tinsel star – to the Entrance Hall so that Pennsylvania Avenue pedestrians would see it. She also had asked disabled workers to make the ornaments, which featured each U.S. state’s official flower.

Just when did the White House start having trees?

The first documented Christmas tree was placed on the second floor, during Benjamin Harrison’s administration in 1889. After electricity was installed in the White House a few years later, Grover Cleveland had a tree with lights to the delight of his grandchildren. In 1912, President William H. Taft’s children helped decorate the first tree in the Blue Room on the state floor, which is now a must for each administration.

In December of 1928, President Calvin Coolidge was the first to light the National Christmas tree (which was a gift from Middlebury College.) In the early part of the 20^th century,  at-home holiday décor was standard – mistletoe, holly, wreaths and a few trees. Others like Lady Bird Johnson have favored nature themes and homey touches like hanging handmade strings of popcorn on trees. “We’re pretty far removed from that now – the decorations are everywhere on the state floor. There are quite a bit on the ground floor and all the way out through the East Wing, and even as you are walking into the White House,” Costello said. “There’s the expectation that this is White House and you really want to transform it into a winter wonderland for people. When you walk in, it really is a Christmas village.”

Did Teddy Roosevelt Really Ban Christmas Trees?

After the environmentalist Theodore Roosevelt was elected, there was much speculation about whether the father of six would have a Christmas tree. Despite a story about Roosevelt banning Christmas trees in the White House, Costello said one of his sons placed a tiny tree in a closet upstairs in the private residences in 1902.  Although the family never had an official tree in the White House, it is believed that the Roosevelts celebrated the holiday with a tree after they left the White House, according to Costello, who had consulted with rangers at Sagamore Hill, Roosevelt’s Summer White House in Cove Neck, N.Y.

Gingerbread Houses for All Ages

The gingerbread house changes each year too, but gingerbread was said to be a favorite of Martha Washington and Lou Hoover (who decorated a tree with gingerbread men in 1929.) Johnson served up gingerbread cookies in 1965, but it was Pat Nixon, who enlisted Hans Raffert to create an A-framed gingerbread house to display in the State Hall in 1972. That annual tradition was tweaked, after he rtired and Barbara Bush advised his successor that the design could very. White chocolate White Houses have been among the interpretations.

During Bill Clinton’s first year in residence, the confection was designed to look like his childhood home complete with a marzipan version of his German Shepherd on the front porch. Clinton was visibly moved when he first saw it, according to Pickins, who noted that blueprints have been used for the gingerbread houses on occasion. Hillary Clinton also had a molasses-based recreation of the house that she grew up in for the White House’s wintery display. Save for the gingerbread houses, all of the décor and ornaments are stored in an off-site facility, Pickens said.

Who Pays for All the Décor and Who Decorates?

The respective party of each administration pays for such things as Christmas parties and receptions, but not for the decorations, according to Costello. “There is a small budget for that, but administrations generally try to reuse past holiday decorations. (A media request to the White House public relations team had not been responded to at press time.) The several hundred volunteers have to apply to help wrap the garland and light the lights. People might be surprised by how many of the decorations are DIY – like strings of popcorn and toy robots made from cardboard and grommets, according to Utah Valley University professor Farah Sanders, who pitched in last year with her husband. Working side-by-side with others from across the country, meeting first lady Jill Biden and working for days beneath George Peter Alexander Healy’s portrait of Abraham Lincoln in the state dining room were unforgettable moments, she said.

It Was the Night Before…

When the National Christmas Tree lighting was held on Christmas Eve at the Ellipse, first families would celebrate the holidays at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, according to Costello, chief education officer at the White House Historical Association. On Christmas Eve at the White House, Franklin Roosevelt would read aloud Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” to family and friends. Not everything has always gone according to plan. In 1929, a four-alarm fire erupted in the Oval Office while President Lou Hoover was hosting a holiday party for staff. When an aide informed him that his secretaries were needed, he said he would go too. The group had to crawl through a window to access the office and remove the steel cabinets with files. Another memorable event occurred in 1864, when Abraham Lincoln’s young son brought some hungry newsboys that he knew to Christmas dinner unexpectedly, and his father invited them to stay.

Dressing the Part of First Lady

A few days before that holiday Lincoln’s wife Mary Todd braved the winter chill to travel to Philadelphia. Her preferred style was lace-trimmed bodices with elaborate skirts that were designed by the African American dressmaker Elizabeth Keckly. A White House ornament depicts Martha Washington caroling in a lace-trimmed blue dress with a red shawl and holding a wreath acented with oranges. Now with the presentation of the official White House Christmas tree marking the start of the holiday season, “America’s first ladies always wear beautiful festive attire to that event, often in shades of green or red,” said Pickens, who singled out Lady Nancy Reagan’s signature red style, Melania Trump’s Michael Kors double-breasted tartan plaid cape for the 2018 tree delivery and First Lady Jill Biden’s red Theory suit and white pashmina combination for last week’s tree delivery. Nancy Reagan’s precision for holiday planning and entertaining made the White House staff appreciate and love her, Pickens said.

Celebrating from Afar

When security concerns temporarily halted public holiday tours after 9/11, Bush introduced the “Barney cam,” placing a small video camera on one of the family’s dogs, “Barney,” to show off the tree and other attractions, Pickens said. Michelle Obama also worked in her family’s dog “Bo” into the holiday décor one year. Renditions of the Portuguese water dog were made with buttons and other materials, and then tucked away in each state room for children to try to find on their tours.

Once the National Christmas tree’s lighting was scheduled for earlier in December, some first families preferred to travel including John F. Kennedy’s, who celebrated the holiday in Palm Beach, as did Donald and Melania Trump years later. And Barack Obama’s spent a few Christmases in Hawaii, whereas George W. Bush’s went to Camp David on occasion. Those escapes can be gestures of good will too, since some White House staffers would benefit from a little time off too, Pickens said.