Show CX t the I 1 W white hite house shares yule spirit 11 dashington eilt ASHINGTON the holiday aty mo sphere that grips america ach december also finds its way to ae white house home olour of our chief ily executives for nearly years and coreene of many a colorful yuletide I 1 arty in bygone years cwhite white house history is rich with anecdotes of such gatherings since he building was occupied by the second chief executive adams for his a ier er four year old suzannah klent ent adams gave the first christmas party arty ever held in the white house were the days before the it mansion was finished when mrs dams is sa said d to have hung ca out t her yash ash in the great east room i party was a success sut ut one of her guests broke a doll r aish belonging to the little hostess ru suzannah rozannah zannah retaliated by biting off the lt impose ose of the young guests new wax loll IOU president adams had to re lort jort to diplomacy S jefferson played violin W 1 christmas has always aided chief executives in discarding their dagni for a brief return to the it f their childhood days it was the widower dower ari president jefferson who played 0 i played the violin for his young guests and the aged andrew jack r akson ion threw wide the white house albors to hundreds of orphans who listened to the president himself tell them wild tales of indian wars N T dolly madison most famous dwhite white house hostess in history was lin im charge of president jeffersons S c party in 1805 when pearly guests were present mrs madison also served served ier ved as hostess at 13 other christ mas as dinners in the white house during ng the two terms beach of jefferson nd her own husband james mad lson ilson once oace the matisons Madi sons had to from the mansion when the british invaded washington in 1812 jackso jacksons s party for the orphans rr y was inspired by his own sad boyhood at his party santa claus 31 came arne to thi the white house as usual leaving many gifts for the homeless 7 M h 1 I 1 A an A 7 1 wv I 1 entrance to the white house 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 in a snowball fight at the party aided by vice president martin 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 to come unto me and forbid them not for of such is the kingdom of heaven in modern times much more ceremony has been attached to official celebration of the yuletide each year the chief executive radios holiday greetings to american soldiers sailors marines I 1 and diplomatic representatives throughout the world his most important official duty is a christmas eve address to the nation a custom that has probably become permanent the nations official christmas tree in washington is lighted annually by the presidential finger who participates in colorful ceremonies broadcast throughout the country during the past decade and a half four presidents have used the same sam switch box for this purpose u 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 tee chimes ring out as the president presses the button lighting the tree broadcast as a signal to millions of listening americans |