St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-12-24

=
The celebration of Christmas as a social festi-
val is of comparatively recent date in this
country and it was many years after the first
occupancy of the White House, by President
John Adams-in 1SO0-before the day became an
Important one as holiday. The sentiments OF
the forefathers were decidedly hostile to the
elaborate religious ceremonials of the Roman
Catholic Church. and TO emphasize this disap-
legal holiday merely.
By degrees the anniversary of the Saviour s
birth became social Institution and the great
home festival OF the year. But, it was not IN
I'll full half century after the occupation of
the White House as the President home that
Christmas was generally observed in this
country as it had been for a great while in
Germany.
To the Germans the Christmas anniversary is
the most memorable epoch in the history of the
year, and It IS TO them that all christendom is
indebted for the idea of the Christmas tree
with its wax lights, its sweetmeats and gay
decorations.
Mrs. Adams, who was the first Lady OF the
White House, moving into it in 1900, the last
year A0SOd4i0
observance of the day; the Executive Mansion
as it was then called, not being finished, and
the quiet habits of the family making it of no
Importance to them. But one Christmas did
they spend in the White House. and it was
day of rest and quiet for both Mrs Adams and
the President. .
During the administration of the third Presi-
dent, who was widower, Christmas had little
ot,-
first being in the winter OF 1923, when for the
first and only time. both Mr.. Jefersons chill
dren, Mrs. Epps and Mrs. Randolph with their
children, spent the season with him. His sons
jnlaw came up from their Virginia plantations
to spend the holidays and the appearance of a
large piece of venison and wild ducks, on the
dinner table recalled to the family faithful
servant vino had brought these and other
favorite dishes of his master to Washington for
the Christmas feast. The youngest daughter
was dead before another Christmas time. and
the mid-winter reunion was held at Monticello,
from whence the President returned to Wash
ington in time for the New Year reception
Mrs. Randolph, Jefferson's eldest and only
daughter, spent the season of 1866 in the
White House and her gift to her husband was
son, the first child born there. He was named
AUT lIl6 7 ISS1uS11L Olu lIlG-lO anu uGlBIlDOr.
Secretary James Madison. AT the Christmas
dinner Mrs. Madison presided, and six of Mrs
Raudolph's children were at the table. a d.
ninutive cranberry tart was placed at each
child plate at dessert, and as this was a new
article to the little Virginians, one of them
never forgot the circumstance. This one. then
q girl Of twelve years, the late Mrs. Virginia
Randolph first told to me, within three years Of
-
girls TO ride after dinner and to her house for
good time in the evening, something they could
not have had in the Presidents house. They
rode back TO Washington over the old George
town road and On the way passed a colored man
who had some boughs ofmistletoe. These Mrs.
Madison bought of him, and the carriage was
decked with the greens as they passed through
the streets TO her house. Soon after their ar
rival a gay party Of young people assembled
and after games and dancing, the happy hostess
led her guests to the dining room, where there
was a beautiful table to greet them. Frosted
cakes were everywhere. and candies in such
quantities that the children were wild with de
light, 1t was just like Mrs. Madison" said
Mrs. Trist. for she was averitable Santa Claus
20 everybody" For sixteen years Mrs. Madison
was the Lady of the White House. in an Of
fetal sense, for she was at President Jefferson's
side at all public receptions, state dinners and
other public occasions. There was one excep-
tion. The war of 1872 which resulted in the
partial destruction of Washington by the
British, left the people generally in no mind to
think OF Merry Christmas The White House
had been greatly damaged by fire. the Presi-
dent and Mrs. Madison were living in a rented
house on Pennsylvania Avenue, tat the corner OF
Nineteenth Street, where they were not pre-
pared to entertain. even had IL been their wish
Mrs, Monroe. who succeeded Mrs. Madison as
hostess of the White House, was not given TO
entertaining on the scale OF her predecessor
Mrs. Madison had set the fashion of sociability
on Christmas, and IL had become the great
dinner day" in Washington as it was In
Virginia and throughout the South generally.
Mrs Monroe was a New Yorker, and her ideas
Of etiquette were different from those OF Dolly
Madison. She observed all the forms and cere-
monies of her station, and acquitted herself
well, but she was not robust person and much
Of the social obligations of her position she reIe-
gated to her daughters. Mrs John Quincy
Adams was Southern tAiarylandl woman, who
had been reared in England, and she made
Christmas a home day, gathering her family
about her, and observing the occasion as a Holt
day which belonged TO the household and not
to the public. She gave no entertainments on
Christmas, and Mr.. Adams and her children
were her companions exclusively on that day.
The family was a most cultivated and refined
one. but lacking in sociability of the kind that
Washingtonians liked, and the majority of the
latter rejoiced when President Jackson's ad-
ministration gave promise OF more informal
hospitality. Mrs. DoneIson, the President s
niece cher husband was private secretary had
four young children in the White House, and
Mrs Madison was one of her constant friends.
hence there was much expected OF social char
acter from the new administration. Mrs.
Donelson was popular hostess and the Presi.
dent was generous host, but he was also a
most domestic man, and his chief pleasure was
in private family gatherings. a Nashville
friend, who enjoyed his hospitality on Christ
mas day, 1929, wrote home that the President
was more absorbed in the children of his niece
and Of his adopted son, Andrew jackson, Jr
than he was in politics, and his chief enjoyment
was in seeing the youngsters regale themselves
at the table" at the conclusion OF the meal this
guest was invited-he says" to the family sit
ting room where the ladies and the children
kept things lively. The President sat in hi:
corner at the freside smoking his pipe, in 6
complacent. cOntented way, and paid little OF
no attention to the grown-up people about him. ,
Christmas day, 1881, fell on Sunday, and the
day was spent quietly, in preparation for the
Ievee which Mrs. Donelson was to hold on the
following afternoon for ladies.
From Jacksons time to Tyler's. there were
no festivities at Christmas time, for there were
no children there. With the advent of the
Tyler family. the Virginian idea Of Christina:
celebration came back and the days duties be
gan with the preparation Of great bowl OF egg
nogg. Then presents were distributed. the ser