Reception for Christmas Volunteers, 1975

This photograph was taken by Karl Schumacher on December 15, 1975, during a reception hosted by First Lady Betty Ford in appreciation of the volunteers who assisted with creating the White House holiday decorations. That year, holiday decorations at the White House celebrated traditional handmade handicrafts. First Lady Betty Ford and her daughter, Susan, also contributed to the decorations, and visitors to the White House that season were presented with instructions for how they could recreate the White House decorations at home. Here, Mrs. Ford kneels by a table at right, as 10-year-old Jerry Carr demonstrates making a handcrafted ornament. Members of the press including stenographers and photographers are visible in the background.