CAMILLE BOHANNON

                  
ROSS SIMPSON

On December 24, 1923, President Calvin Coolidge touched a button
and lights up the first national Christmas tree to grace the White
House grounds.

Not only was this the first White House “community” Christmas
tree, but it was the first to be decorated with electric lights—a
strand of 2,500 red, white and green bulbs.

The balsam fir came from Coolidge’s home state of Vermont and
stood 48 feet tall. Several musical groups performed at the tree
-lighting ceremony, including the Epiphany Church choir and the
U.S. Marine Band.

Later that evening, President Coolidge and first lady Grace were
treated to carols sung by members of Washington, D.C.’s First Congregational Church.

According to the White House Historical Association, President
Benjamin Harrison was the first president to set up an indoor
Christmas tree for his family and visitors to enjoy in 1889. It
was decorated with ornaments and candles.

President Richard Nixon met Elvis Presley in the Oval Office
on December 21, 1970, a famously strange meeting initiated
by Elvis, who wanted to offer his services in the war on drugs
and asked Nixon for a federal narcotics badge, which Nixon
granted, giving the world one of the most requested photos
in U.S. National Archives history.

Elvis showing off his cuff links to the president.

Elvis presented Nixon with signed photographs of his family.

On December 19, 1777, commander of the Continental Army
George Washington, the future first president of the United
States, lead his beleaguered troops into winter quarters at
Valley Forge, Pennsylvania.

Things could hardly have looked bleaker for Washington
and the Continental Army as 1777 came to a close.

No one knew better than Washington that the army was on
the brink of collapse—in fact, he had defied Congress’
demand that he launch a mid-winter attack against the
British at Philadelphia and instead fell back to Valley
Forge to rest and refit his troops.