Presidents past and present have been breathtaking Christmas trees in the White House.
Former President Benjamin Harrison is credited by the White House Historical Association as the first to display a Christmas tree in the White House, having placed one in the Second Floor Oval Room in 1889.
According to the White House Historical Association, the first known Christmas tree displayed in the White House was decorated with candles for Harrison’s grandchildren.
Former President Theodore Roosevelt was president before Christmas trees became a staple of the White House holiday festivities. (Current Press Agency/Getty Images)
It is believed that when Theodore Roosevelt took office in 1901, the Christmas tree tradition was missing during his presidency. The answers to the question of whether the Christmas tree was ‘banned’ during this time, and why, are not explicitly clear.
According to History.com, Roosevelt “banned the Christmas tree from the White House,” with “environmental reasons” possibly to blame.
The National Christmas Tree Association echoed a similar idea, noting on their website that Roosevelt tried to end the practice of having Christmas trees in homes in 1901 due to concerns about forest destruction.
According to the Forest History Society, the tradition of a Christmas tree in the White House there was one that was not established until the 1920s, with presidents before Roosevelt making a decision to have a tree and others choosing not to.
Today, the White House has many Christmas trees, including one that is lit in an annual ceremony. (Nathan Posner/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
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According to the source, in the early days of the Christmas tree, it was mainly families with young children who chose to place and decorate one in their home.
The White House Historical Association described the alleged Roosevelt ban on Christmas trees in the White House as a “myth,” with little evidence to support the claim beyond the simple fact that the family chose not to put up a tree.
The Roosevelts celebrated Christmas with many popular traditions, such as exchanging gifts, attend church service and enjoy a delicious meal as a family, but chose not to plant a tree, according to the source.
Although in 1902, the young Archibald “Archie” Roosevelt, the president’s son, secretly placed a miniature tree in a White House closet, which he decorated and proudly presented to his family.
Former President Theodore Roosevelt’s son, Archibald Roosevelt, introduced a small decorated tree to the White House during his father’s presidency. (Stockmontage/Getty Images)
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Afterwards, the president continued the tradition, according to the White House Association.
Many researchers have suggested the reason why Roosevelt did not display a large tree during his presidency was because it was related to his conservation efforts, but according to the White House Association, this was because the Christmas tree tradition was simply one that was not practiced by the family.
It was several years later, in 1912, when the very first Christmas tree was displayed in the Blue Room by the children of former President William H. Taft, according to the source, as a way to surprise their parents when they returned from their vacation. away.
It was during the presidency of former President Dwight Eisenhower when the Christmas tree consistently found a home in the Blue Room by first lady Mamie Eisenhower. This was continued by first lady Jacqueline Kennedy, according to the White House Association.
Every year, the National Christmas Tree Association puts a tree on display at the White House. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
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Kennedy was also responsible for the tradition that still exists today of decorating the Blue Room tree with a theme, which she started in 1961.
The initial Christmas tree theme Kennedy chose was the ballet “Nutcracker Suite”. The White House theme for 2024 chosen by first lady Jill Biden was a “season of peace and light,” according to WhiteHouse.gov.
Another modern tradition that has stood the test of time is the annual National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony, which was started in 1923 by former President Calvin Coolidge.
The tree lit in 1923 was a 45-foot balsam fir, according to the National Christmas Tree Lighting website.
Beginning in 1966, the National Christmas Tree Association provided a Christmas tree to be displayed in the Blue Room of the White House.
The 2024 White House Tree came from the family-owned Cartner’s Christmas Tree Farm in Newland, North Carolina.
