In the United States, each president has had their own way of celebrating Christmas during their term, and not all of them necessarily spent the holiday at the White House.
In 2021, President Joe Biden chose to move his Christmas celebration from his home state of Delaware to the White House. It was reported that the Biden family attended Mass on Christmas Eve and then returned to the White House for a dinner of Italian pasta, inviting guests over for a sleepover, a tradition in their family.
Former President Donald Trump usually spent Christmas at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida during his first term and attended Christmas service at a local Episcopal church with First Lady Melania Trump at Palm Beach. The couple got married there in 2005.
During his presidency, Barack Obama had a tradition of celebrating Christmas with his family in Hawaii. Christmas in Hawaii for the Obamas was relatively quiet, spending time with friends and family. However, they established a tradition of visiting a local Marine Corps base on Christmas Day to show their support for the soldiers serving.
In 2013, Obama had a low-key Christmas in Hawaii, singing Christmas carols, unwrapping gifts with family, and visiting a nearby military base. However, one thing they seemed to have forgotten was attending a Christmas service at the church. It seemed to align with the changing pace in America as fewer people nowadays attend church on Christmas Day or Christmas Eve.
Before Obama, President George W. Bush chose to spend Christmas at the Camp David presidential retreat near the capital, a tradition established by his father, former President George H. W. Bush. The Bush family celebrated their 12th Christmas at Camp David in 2008.
Looking further back, some U.S. presidents have hosted various Christmas celebrations at the White House, with certain events being more exquisite than others. In 1835, President Andrew Jackson hosted a famous indoor “snowball fight” at his “Revel” party for children. The party included games, dances, a holiday feast, and culminated in a snowball fight using specially made cotton balls.
President Franklin Roosevelt had his own tradition of reading Charles Dickens’ novel “A Christmas Carol” after dinner on Christmas Eve. The novel tells the story of a miser who is transformed by three Christmas spirits, leading him to reconsider the meaning of life, realizing that giving is more joyful than receiving. His selfishness and cold-heartedness give way to empathy, kindness, and love, experiencing true happiness for the first time and becoming a generous person for life.
According to the White House Historical Association, there is a widely circulated belief that President Theodore Roosevelt banned the cutting of trees for decoration in the White House. The Roosevelt family did not celebrate the holidays with a Christmas tree, somewhat confirming this belief.
The association also noted that the tradition of every American household having a Christmas tree is relatively modern. It was Archie Roosevelt, the son of Roosevelt, who initiated this tradition by sneaking a small tree into the White House, decorating it in secret before revealing it to his family.
Perhaps one of the most memorable Christmases for Americans is the one President George Washington spent on December 25, 1776. On Christmas night, he bravely led the Continental Army in crossing the Delaware River into New Jersey, launching a surprise attack on Hessian mercenaries in the subsequent Battle of Trenton, achieving a decisive victory that turned the tide of the Revolutionary War and led to the birth of America.
(Reference: Fox News)