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Show White House Shares Vule Spirit j . . i WASHINGTON. The holiday atmosphere at-mosphere that grlpj America each December also finds Its way to the White House, home of our chief executives for nearly 1 years and scene of many a colorful Yuletlde party In bygone years. White House history Is rich with anecdotes of such gatherings since the building was occupied by the country's second chief executive, John Adams. For his granddaugh-' ter, four-year-old Suzannah, President Presi-dent Adams gave the Hrst Christmas party ever held in the White House. Those were the days before the mansion was finished, when Mrs. Adams is said to have hung out her wash In the great East room. Suzannah's party was a success but one of her guests broke a doll dish belonging to the little hostess. Suzannah retaliated by biting off the nose of the young guest's new wax doll. President Adam had to resort re-sort to diplomacy. Jefferson Played Violin. Christmas has always aided chief executives in discarding their dignity digni-ty for a brief return to the simplicity f ir (-hllHhnnd days. It was the widower President Jefferson who played the violin for his young guests, and the aged Andrew Jackson Jack-son threw wide the White House doors to hundreds of orphans who listened to the President himself tell them wild tales of Indian wan. Dolly Madison, most famous White House hostess In history, wa in charge of President Jefferson's party in 1805 when nearly 100 guests were present Mrs. Madison also served as hostess at 13 other Christmas Christ-mas dinners in the Whit House during dur-ing the two terms each of Jefferson and her own husband, James Madison. Mad-ison. Once the Madisons had to flee from the mansion when the British Invaded Washington to 1812. Jackson's party for the orphans was inspired by his own sad boyhood. boy-hood. At his party Santa Claus came to the White House at usual, leaving many gifts for th homeless , - . XV i- j : I- i ' . .. l ,.! Entrance to the White Honse at Washington as It appears each year during the Christmas season. youngsters. Jackson himself found a corncob pipe and warm carpet slippers in his bulging stocking. Jackson In Snow Fight. "Old Hickory" is said to have participated par-ticipated in a snowball fight at the party, aided by Vice President Martin Mar-tin Van Buren. As his little guests scattered over the moonlit White House lawn he turned to a friend and said: "They remind me of the one who came to the knees of Jesus, and of whom He said, 'Suffer little children chil-dren to come unto Me, and forbid them not for of such is the kingdom of Heaven.' " In modern times much more ceremony cere-mony has been attached to official Washington's celebration of the Yuletide. Each year the chief executive ex-ecutive radios holiday greetings to American soldiers, sailors, marines and diplomatic representatives throughout the world. His most important im-portant official duty is a Christmas eve address to the nation, a custom that has probably become permanent. perma-nent. The nation's "official" Christmas tree in Washington is lighted annually annu-ally by the President as he participates in colorful ceremonies broadcast throughout' the country. During the past decade and a half, four Presidents have used the same switch box' for this purpose. Last year a new silver plate was attached to the box bearing the names of these men. Another recent innovation at the ceremony Is the use of a four-toned chime to signal the lighting of the tree. The chimes ring out as the President presses the button lighting light-ing the tree, broadcast as a signal to millions of listening Americans. |