Holiday Card from President and Mrs. Johnson, 1967
This Christmas card was presented to White House Executive Chef Henry Haller from First Lady Lady Bird Johnson and President Lyndon B. Johnson in December 1967. This was Haller's second Christmas at the White House, where he was to remain as executive chef until 1987. The card features an illustration by Robert Laessig of the official White House Christmas tree, positioned in its traditional spot in the center of the Blue Room. The back of the card discusses the tradition of Christmas trees in the White House.
This card is part of a personal collection belonging to Chef Haller. In the position, Haller served five first families and their distinguished guests from 1966-1987.
Families taking up residence at the White House since the Theodore Roosevelt administration have encountered the public's insatiable appetite for stories of everyday life in the Executive Mansion. With the common reproduction of photographs in newspapers and magazines by the early 20th century, presidential pets had to accept the same scrutiny as their distinguished masters. Whether providing companionship or humanizing
Since the beginning of the American presidency, dogs have often shared a presence in both the first family and the White House. In fact, 30 out of the 44 presidents have had a dog at some point during their respective presidencies. These dogs were not only important in the lives of the presidents and their families, but also to the American public.