Christmas at the White House
by Jennifer B. Pickens
Published by Fife & Drum Press, 2009
Almost fifty years of White House Christmases are documented
in this beautifully illustrated book. From Christmas trees to crèches to
gingerbread houses, to garden swings in the snow, there are photographs to show
them all and to discuss how each Presidential family made their own mark on
Christmas at the White House. The older photographs in particular are so quaint and so stylistically dated in
fashions and clothes that it is almost like looking at fascinating museum
displays.
As a Brit, I find it extremely
appealing that successive Presidents and their families not only make make a
point of decorating the White House for Christmas, but that the decorations are
always photographed and discussed. We do not get to see our Queen’s decorations
at her official residences, which is a shame, but I thoroughly enjoyed this
peek into American First Family life.
5 comments:
I quite fancy that one, Sian. Especially as the Americans do such lovely Christmas decorations. Quite a few of mine come from Epcot in Florida from the German Xmas shop there, and also from a Xmas shop in Flagstaff - wonderful place.
I enjoyed it very much, Mary. I didn't know you'd been to the States ?
Oh, about eight times, seven to Florida and once to do the Grand Canyon and some of the smaller ones like Bryce and Zion - wonderful! - and also places like Palm Springs and Las Vegas, the latter being a real hoot and eye-opener. Flagstaff is on Route 66, for those of you who remember the pop song, and is a very pretty town.
You cosmopolitan jet-setter, you! I am envious :-)
Haha, Las Vegas IS a real hoot and eye-opener.
I guess we take it for granted about the White House, but the American people do own the house. The Christmas decorations are a pretty big deal. I wonder what will happen if (when) we elect a non-Christian President.
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