Collection The Presidents
Biographies & Portraits
Jacqueline Kennedy Refines the Season
In 1961, First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy began the tradition of selecting a theme for the official White House Christmas tree. She decorated a tree placed in the oval Blue Room with ornamental toys, birds and angels modeled after Pyotr Tchaikovsky's "Nutcracker Suite" ballet. Mrs. Kennedy reused these ornaments in 1962 for her children's theme tree. Set up in the North Entrance, this festive tree also featured brightly wrapped packages, candy canes, gingerbread cookies and straw ornaments made by disabled or senior citizen craftspeople throughout the United States.
The Kennedys' 1961 Christmas card.
The Kennedys, 1961
The Kennedys' 1962 Christmas card.
The Kennedys, 1962.
You Might Also Like
-
-
Collection Eleanor Roosevelt's "My Day"
The White House Historical Association and the Eleanor Roosevelt Papers Project present this collaboration in an effort to open a...
-
Collection The 2016 White House Christmas Ornament
Every year since 1981, the White House Historical Association has had the privilege of designing the Official White House Christmas Ornament....
-
Collection The Kennedy Rose Garden
It's hard to imagine that it was something as casual as a lunch conversation between a newly elected president and...
-
Collection The First Ladies
Biographies & Portraits
-
Collection Presidential Retreats
Presidents have found different ways to escape the pressures and politics of the position. For early leaders, it was a...
-
Collection All Hallows' Eve Haunts & Traditions
Today, the celebration of Halloween conjures images of costumed trick-or-treaters, sweets, and jack-o'-lanterns; but there was a time when All...
-
Collection Genevieve Gorder Partnership
For the 2015 holiday season, the White House Historical Association has paired with HGTV Star Genevieve Gorder to bring you our 2015...
-
Collection The White House in Gingerbread
The holiday season at the White House is celebrated with an abundance of glittering décor, decadent desserts, and fresh p...
-
Collection Giving Thanks at the White House
Thanksgiving is a relatively quiet and personal holiday at the White House, as it precedes a very busy season of...
-
Collection White House Easter Egg Roll
Since 1878, American presidents and their families have celebrated Easter Monday by hosting an "egg roll" party. Held on the South...
-
Collection Fourth of July at the White House
It was President Thomas Jefferson who first established the traditions of a Fourth of July celebration at the White House....
