The Washington times., 1901-12-15
Yuletlde at the
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Rt6IitMAsNla
White House

The first Christmas festivities held in
the White House occurred II December
%, 1900. less than three months after the
completion OF the mansion. Since that
occasion. which was ittingly termed the
national house warming" there have been
an even one hundred such celebrations in
the historic old structure.
In the good old days when the White
House was a brand new structure, fresh
from the hands of the architect and
builders. Mrs. John Adams, its first occu-
pant. complained bitterly to her friends
that the mansion was too large and roomy
for comfort. She declared that the house
should have been much smaller in size
and more snug in design.
In these closing days of 1891 the reverse
of Mrs Adams complaint is true. The
present occupant, Mrs. Roosevelt. finds
the same mansion entirely too small for
the modern comfort OF her family and the
social and official requirements of this
advanced age.
The First Occupant.
When Mrs. Abigail Adams. the wife Of
John Adams, our second President, was
installed as the first mistress Of the man
sion Of Presidents in October, 1900, its in
terror was bleak and cherries. Mrs. Ad-
ans prded herself on being model New
England housekeeper. but she was ut
terly confused by her capacious, lily
heated. illy-lighted environments. The
big rooms and Railways, with their great
width. breadth. and depth, almost con-
founded her.
The mansion was but dimly lighted,
compared with the present illuminations,
by numerous candles and lamps, almost
as ancient in form aud finish as the ia
bled lamp of Aladdin. Instead Of steam
radiators. heat was furnished by great
wood fires on the broad aearths, which
roared and cracked and sent showers Of
sparks up the ample chimneys.
one of Mrs. Adams complaints was
that the mansion was drafty and lily
heated by the wood fires. Another was
that there we're no bells provided with
which to summon her servants, and
scarcity Of lamps. At that time the East
Room, which has since been the scese OF
so many public functions. and about which
cluster so many historic memories, was
used by Mrs. Adams washwomen as a
drying room in which the weekly wash
was strung about on lines until II was
dried sufficiently 10 be operated upon by
the negro women ironers. The East Par
lor was afterward known officially as the
audience room.
Christmas in $500.
On the first Christmas Day in the White |
House, it is recorded, snow mantled the |
earth TO a depth of nearly two feet. 1t !
was a typical old-fsshioned Christmas
Day, with all the Accomplishments Of wind |
and weather. Old Jack Frost was busy |
and decorated in fantastic designs with |
films OF ice the window ranes OF the big |
white mansion. Downstairs in tie ldtch-
en- there was a blaze Of light and genial |
warmth from the great piles Of oak and
hickory IN the broad fire places. while
the atmosphere OF the building was redo
lent with the odor OF the viands being
prepared for the Christmas feast.
There were no chefs and assistant chefs,
with corps OF white clad assistants, nor
such ranges and cooking utensils as are
today. Old colored ''mammies," neatly
clad in bright calico frocks, long white
aprons and bright colored kerchiefs on
their heads, fitted hither and thither be-
fore the roaring blszes on the hearths. as
they prepared the food for President John
Adams and his yuletide guests.
Mrs. Adams Her own Chef.
Indeed, Mrs. Abigail Adams herself per-
formed the functions OF executive chef
Wearing an Immaculate apron, che busied
herself giving direction TO first one negro
servant and then another The picture
thus presented was in strange contrast
with that in the white House kitchen In
The winter Of 1901. presided over by an
educated negro chef, brought from New
York by President Roosevelt, and pro-
gided with every culinary implement
Known TO modern times.
Mrs. Adams and her corps Of assistants
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