Okla-homey
12/24/2006, 08:05 AM
Dec.24, 1923: President Coolidge lights first National Christmas Tree
Eighty-three years ago today, on Christmas Eve in 1923, President Calvin Coolidge presses a button and lights up the first National Christmas Tree to grace the White House grounds. Lighting the tree on Chritmas Eve seems late to us today, but during earlier times, the custom was to decorate the tree on Christmas Eve. The tree is lit much earlier nowadays, typically on the weekend after Thanksgiving.
http://aycu15.webshots.com/image/8334/2005145050320759546_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2005145050320759546)
The 1923 National Christmas Tree
Not only was this the first White House "community" Christmas tree, but it was the first to be decorated with electric lights--a strand of 2,500 red, white and green bulbs manufactured by the General Electric Company.
http://aycu39.webshots.com/image/6718/2000217544098423616_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2000217544098423616)
President and Mrs Coolidge
The balsam fir came from Coolidge’s home state of Vermont and stood 48 feet tall. Several musical groups performed at the tree-lighting ceremony, including the Epiphany Church choir and the U.S. Marine Band. Later that evening, President Coolidge and First Lady Grace Coolidge were treated to carols sung by members of Washington D.C.’s First Congregational Church.
http://aycu07.webshots.com/image/8206/2005179688674813865_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2005179688674813865)
Modern outdoor National Christmas Tree
According to the White House Historical Association, President Benjamin Harrison was the first president to set up an indoor Christmas tree for his family and visitors to enjoy in 1889. It was decorated with ornaments and candles.
http://aycu10.webshots.com/image/9049/2003884179258409957_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2003884179258409957)
President Benjamin Harrison of Ohio
In 1929, First Lady Lou Henry Hoover oversaw what would become an annual tradition of decorating the indoor White House tree. Since then, each first lady’s duties have included the trimming of the official White House tree.
http://aycu39.webshots.com/image/9478/2000097626910745817_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2000097626910745817)
First Lady Lou Henry Hoover
Coolidge’s "inauguration" of the first outdoor National Christmas Tree initiated a tradition that has been repeated with every administration.
Sir Winston Churchill appeared on the South Porch with President Roosevelt for the lighting ceremony in 1941. Both men delivered Christmas messages to the gathered throng before sharing the official lighting duties. By the next year, Washington was under a war-imposed blackout. Lights were placed on the tree in 1942 but never lit, and the tree remained "dark" from 1942 through 1944.
After the war, the tradition resumed, and by 1948, the tree featured lighting that would "show well" on television, the new communications medium. In 1954, the ceremony became known as "The Christmas Pageant of Peace." Twenty-seven embassies participated, presenting music, dances and tableaux interpreting Christmas traditions of their countries. In the midst of the program, one of the reindeer escaped into a nearby street, halting traffic and nearly disrupting the entire ceremony.
1954 was also the first year for "The Pathway of Peace," an arrangement of smaller, decorated trees representing all fifty states, five territories, and the District of Columbia. It's a tradition that continues today. In 2005, Oklahoma's tree decorations were developed by the kiddos at Norman's Washington Elementary School. Your correspondent was unable to learn who made them this year.:(
http://aycu07.webshots.com/image/8206/2005187744199977113_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2005187744199977113)
Here, you can see the smaller state and territorial trees along the "Pathway of Peace" with the White House tree in the background
In 1981, President Ronald Reagan began another custom by authorizing the first official White House ornament, copies of which were made available for purchase.
http://aycu16.webshots.com/image/7015/2003816615403359101_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2003816615403359101)
2006 ornament, easily available for purchase online. The design of the 2006 ornament is inspired by President Arthur's insistance to redecorate the White House. He brought 24 wagonloads of furniture, some including pieces dating back to John Adams' term, carted away and sold at public auction, and Arthur commissioned Louis Comfort Tiffany to replace them with new pieces. A famous designer now best-known for his stained glass, Tiffany was among the foremost designers of the day.
http://img213.imageshack.us/img213/2498/insane7zouj9.jpg
Eighty-three years ago today, on Christmas Eve in 1923, President Calvin Coolidge presses a button and lights up the first National Christmas Tree to grace the White House grounds. Lighting the tree on Chritmas Eve seems late to us today, but during earlier times, the custom was to decorate the tree on Christmas Eve. The tree is lit much earlier nowadays, typically on the weekend after Thanksgiving.
http://aycu15.webshots.com/image/8334/2005145050320759546_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2005145050320759546)
The 1923 National Christmas Tree
Not only was this the first White House "community" Christmas tree, but it was the first to be decorated with electric lights--a strand of 2,500 red, white and green bulbs manufactured by the General Electric Company.
http://aycu39.webshots.com/image/6718/2000217544098423616_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2000217544098423616)
President and Mrs Coolidge
The balsam fir came from Coolidge’s home state of Vermont and stood 48 feet tall. Several musical groups performed at the tree-lighting ceremony, including the Epiphany Church choir and the U.S. Marine Band. Later that evening, President Coolidge and First Lady Grace Coolidge were treated to carols sung by members of Washington D.C.’s First Congregational Church.
http://aycu07.webshots.com/image/8206/2005179688674813865_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2005179688674813865)
Modern outdoor National Christmas Tree
According to the White House Historical Association, President Benjamin Harrison was the first president to set up an indoor Christmas tree for his family and visitors to enjoy in 1889. It was decorated with ornaments and candles.
http://aycu10.webshots.com/image/9049/2003884179258409957_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2003884179258409957)
President Benjamin Harrison of Ohio
In 1929, First Lady Lou Henry Hoover oversaw what would become an annual tradition of decorating the indoor White House tree. Since then, each first lady’s duties have included the trimming of the official White House tree.
http://aycu39.webshots.com/image/9478/2000097626910745817_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2000097626910745817)
First Lady Lou Henry Hoover
Coolidge’s "inauguration" of the first outdoor National Christmas Tree initiated a tradition that has been repeated with every administration.
Sir Winston Churchill appeared on the South Porch with President Roosevelt for the lighting ceremony in 1941. Both men delivered Christmas messages to the gathered throng before sharing the official lighting duties. By the next year, Washington was under a war-imposed blackout. Lights were placed on the tree in 1942 but never lit, and the tree remained "dark" from 1942 through 1944.
After the war, the tradition resumed, and by 1948, the tree featured lighting that would "show well" on television, the new communications medium. In 1954, the ceremony became known as "The Christmas Pageant of Peace." Twenty-seven embassies participated, presenting music, dances and tableaux interpreting Christmas traditions of their countries. In the midst of the program, one of the reindeer escaped into a nearby street, halting traffic and nearly disrupting the entire ceremony.
1954 was also the first year for "The Pathway of Peace," an arrangement of smaller, decorated trees representing all fifty states, five territories, and the District of Columbia. It's a tradition that continues today. In 2005, Oklahoma's tree decorations were developed by the kiddos at Norman's Washington Elementary School. Your correspondent was unable to learn who made them this year.:(
http://aycu07.webshots.com/image/8206/2005187744199977113_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2005187744199977113)
Here, you can see the smaller state and territorial trees along the "Pathway of Peace" with the White House tree in the background
In 1981, President Ronald Reagan began another custom by authorizing the first official White House ornament, copies of which were made available for purchase.
http://aycu16.webshots.com/image/7015/2003816615403359101_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2003816615403359101)
2006 ornament, easily available for purchase online. The design of the 2006 ornament is inspired by President Arthur's insistance to redecorate the White House. He brought 24 wagonloads of furniture, some including pieces dating back to John Adams' term, carted away and sold at public auction, and Arthur commissioned Louis Comfort Tiffany to replace them with new pieces. A famous designer now best-known for his stained glass, Tiffany was among the foremost designers of the day.
http://img213.imageshack.us/img213/2498/insane7zouj9.jpg