Megan Harney

<p>It's the most beautiful time of the year at the White House.</p>

<p>The West Wing, East Wing and every room in-between have been decked out in elaborate decorations to celebrate the holidays, and President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania are preparing to celebrate the holiday with their family.</p>

<p>This <a id="e9c60e32-d502-3ba6-a2f8-15b2d0ba1eee" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/white-house-christmas-photos-2018-11?utm_source=intl&amp;utm_medium=ingest">  year's official theme is "American Treasures," </a> for the latest round of holiday decorating to take over 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.</p>

<p>Here's a look back at presidential Christmas celebrations, going all the way back to the 1800s.</p>

<h1> The White House halls have been decked for the holidays every December since John and Abigail Adams held the first White House Christmas party in 1800. </h1>

<p>Source: <a id="122c122d-c99e-38cc-a772-df56b684e443" href="http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/coolidge-lights-first-national-christmas-tree">  History.com </a></p>

<h1> Every president has brought their own traditions into the White House. Grover Cleveland, for example, lit up the first Christmas tree inside the White House to the delight of his young daughters. </h1>

<p>White House Historical Association</p>

<p>Source: <a id="66b2fa53-69f0-3b6e-a92c-d66f95c260c3" href="https://www.whitehousehistory.org/christmas-traditions-at-the-white-house">  WhiteHouseHistory.org </a></p>

<h1> Calvin Coolidge was the first president to host a public Christmas celebration at the White House, with the first National Christmas Tree lighting in 1923. </h1>

<p>Source: <a id="c8027d92-b9ea-38b2-ad61-80317b662bea" href="https://www.whitehousehistory.org/a-coolidge-christmas">  WhiteHouseHistory.org </a></p>

<h1> The tree lighting ceremony and the presidents participation has been a yearly tradition since then. </h1>

<h1> Glowing trees lit up a side entrance to the White House in 1931. </h1>

<h1> Franklin Roosevelt spent ten consecutive Christmas holidays in the White House and emphasized the importance of family during the holiday season. </h1>

<p>Source: <a id="db5b046d-eca8-31d1-a7c5-ca95672df391" href="https://www.whitehousehistory.org/christmas-with-the-roosevelts-1">  WhiteHouseHistory.org </a></p>

<h1> FDR invited four generations of family into the White House for Christmas. His children and grandchildren enjoyed spending Christmas Eve in the presidential residence to partake in two of Roosevelts favorite holiday traditions: Hanging stockings and reading, "A Christmas Carol." </h1>

<h1> President Harry Truman welcomed some unusual guests to the White House for December 1948 when he was gifted turkeys for his Christmas dinner. </h1>

<h1> Here, President Dwight Eisenhower and first lady Mamie Eisenhower pose with their family in 1958 on the Christmas tree-lighted North Portico of the White House. </h1>

<h1> First lady Jacqueline Kennedy began the tradition of themed White House decorations with Tchaikovskys "Nutcracker Suite" taking over the Blue Room in 1961. Here, first daughter Caroline admires the tree before a party for employees. </h1>

<h1> In 1962, the White House Christmas tree was decorated with ornaments inspired by children, including candy canes and gingerbread cookies. </h1>

<p>Source: <a id="117b02d8-4bdf-3726-a4f0-4043548c6cc4" href="https://www.whitehousehistory.org/galleries/christmas-themes">  WhiteHouseHistory.org </a></p>

<h1> Despite Jackies decorating efforts, the Kennedy family chose to celebrate Christmas Day in Palm Beach. </h1>

<p>Source: <a id="c16aefb4-4569-34cd-ab73-1e21db9d944c" href="https://www.jfklibrary.org/Asset-Viewer/Archives/JFKWHP-1962-12-25-A.aspx">  JFK Library </a></p>

<h1> A banner with a holiday sentiment was hung for the annual Christmas Pageant of Peace on the Ellipse, in front of the White House, in 1963. Flags were ordered to fly half-mast through December, mourning the November death of President Kennedy. </h1>

<h1> In 1967, President Johnson, Lady Bird, and Yuki, the White House pet, spent the holiday beside that years Christmas tree, a Norway spruce. </h1>

<h1> Here, the Johnson family poses in front of a Christmas tree in the Yellow Oval Room. </h1>

<p>Source: <a id="0751fa92-b45e-382b-aae5-8d851c426846" href="http://www.lbjlibrary.net/collections/photo-archive.html">  LBJ Library </a></p>

<h1> Christmas in the Nixon White House was a lively affair. First Lady Pat Nixon told Empire Magazine their holiday traditions included the president playing Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer on the piano for friends and family. </h1>

<p>Source: <a id="ff13c3c3-2325-32a7-ab3d-91ac6975ffd1" href="https://www.nixonlibrary.gov/themuseum/exhibits/2014/Christmas2014.php">  Nixon Library </a></p>

<h1> Another Nixon tradition was to decorate their Christmas trees with decorations made by disabled workers. The 1969 tree, dubbed the "American Flower Tree," was decorated with velvet and satin ornaments featuring each states flower. </h1>

<p>Source: <a id="4a238d73-f30b-3ff9-a302-8fce5ab093b3" href="https://www.whitehousehistory.org/patricia-nixons-stately-elegance">  WhiteHouseHistory.org </a></p>

<h1> Gerald Ford brought two dates to the White House Christmas ball in 1975: his wife Betty and his daughter Susan. </h1>

<p>Source: <a id="b4622add-19f8-3025-aeee-ecbc75a5618a" href="https://www.fordlibrarymuseum.gov/library/document/0039/1534963.pdf">  FordLibraryMuseum.gov </a></p>

<h1> First Lady Betty Ford presented the official White House Christmas tree in 1976. At that years lighting, President Ford said that as a former National Parks ranger he was proud to have real trees throughout the White House. </h1>

<p>Source: <a id="bdffe666-dffa-381d-a070-105b19c75a62" href="https://www.nps.gov/whho/learn/historyculture/1974-1976-national-christmas-trees.htm">  National Parks Service </a></p>

<h1> Many presidents have included their children and grandchildren in public White House traditions while in office. Jimmy Carters daughter, Amy, helped him light his first National Christmas Tree in 1977. </h1>

<p>Source: <a id="6ad7ac05-1f3a-3284-a72e-972ad98a696f" href="http://www.apimages.com/metadata/Index/Watchf-AP-A-DC-USA-APHS352713-Amy-Carter-stands-/6911566830254fc8afe75e4c051094b2/40/0">  AP </a></p>

<h1> The Reagans really got into the holiday spirit when they lived at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. Ronald Reagan dressed up as Santa Claus for a Christmas Eve party in 1983 ... </h1>

<p>Ronald Reagan Presidential Library</p>

<p>Source: <a id="32434fed-5625-39ae-abc8-f21f9b173e38" href="https://www.reaganfoundation.org/">  Ronald Reagan Presidential Library </a></p>

<h1> ... and First Lady Nancy Reagan sat on a different Santas lap. </h1>

<p>Source: <a id="84dc66d6-9e64-3773-acb2-a8c9a587896c" href="http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/inside-nancy-reagans-friendship-mr/story?id=37578414">  ABC News </a></p>

<h1> In 1984, then-second lady Barbara Bush helped place the star on top of the national Christmas tree on the Ellipse. </h1>

<h1> The Reagans also commissioned artists to paint scenes from inside the Executive Mansion during the holiday season for their annual Christmas card. Many presidents, including Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, and both George W. Bush and George H.W. Bush, have since followed suit. </h1>

<p>Source: <a id="df55cee3-6cb8-333c-a4fd-c9b0b113a419" href="https://www.frontgate.com/wcsstore/images/Frontgate/moreinfo/Reagan.html">  Front Gate </a></p>

<h1> The Reagan White House incorporated pop culture into their playful decorations. Here, the first lady glances toward ALF during a childrens Christmas party at the White House. </h1>

<h1> Christmas during the first Bush administration was a family affair. Here, George H.W. Bush shows his grandchildren the Oval Office Christmas tree in 1991. </h1>

<p>George Bush Presidential Library and Museum</p>

<p>Source: <a id="b38e73f6-4ad5-3163-ad30-d615937d39c2" href="https://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/presidents-showing-off-the-white-house/7/">  CBS News </a></p>

Incredible photos show how the White House has celebrated Christmas through the years

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Megan Harney

Articles written by the author

Incredible photos show how the White House has celebrated Christmas through the years