The review. [volume] (High Point, N.C.) 1908-19??, 1917-12-27
How Washington
Celebrated Christmas

TT rs interesting to look back upon
Christmas day at Mount Vernon,
with the Father of His Country as
host and his charming wife as hostess.
Christmas at Mount Vernon in the
peaceful days which followed the RevO-
RutiOn was always exceedingly merry.
The Virginians of those days, being
cavaliers, made the most of the hOl1-
day, which the grim Puritans Of New
England practically ignored, says the
Philadelphia Press.
Though generally serious, Washing
t0n could unbend considerably on such
nm occasion. Mount Vernon was always
crowded at this period, and the cele-
AratfOn was of q luxurious character.
The Christmas dinner was served at
. thrGe o'clock in the banquet hall"
and probably no fewer than 80 per-
3OnS sat down to the repast.
For this special occasion the hostess
always got out her handsome service Of
pure silver, most Of which had belonged
90 her when, as the widow GUSTS, she
had married Mr.. Washington, and there
vas also q big display of cut glass.
An Oddity, as nowadays. it would be
considered, was the arrangement Of the
table, upon which all the dishes to be
served. including even the buildings and
pies, were placed at once. No wonder
that in such days the festive board
was said to "groan" beneath the
weight of viands.
As q matter Of course, at the Christ
mas dinner, as we'll as all other occa-
RfOns, the table was waited upon by
slaves, who did duty as house servants.
Two were allotted to each guest, so
that quite number were required. All
Il the eatables had to be conveyed
considerable distance, the kitchen be-
Ing detached from the mansion, with
which 1T was connected by a covered
way.
J At the houses of the great Virginia
families at that period it was custom
airy for the slaves to wait on the table
IN the ordinary plantation garb. But
at Mount Vernon many things were on
a scale of exceptional luxury, and the
negroes who performed such service
were clad in Washington's own livery
of red, white and gold,- which was
handsome and striking.
The necessity of supper was removed
BY great prOlOngatiOn of the dinner,
Mt which each person was expected to
eat all that he or she possibly could.
In fact, it was the duty of the hostess
gently to persuade her guests to gorge
themselves to repletion, while the host
made it his business to press wine and
At tn
extent which in these times would be
considered most imprudent.
AT a certain period of the meal 1t
was Washington's custom to rise from
his chair, holding a glass Of Madeira
i'm his hand ana bowling right and left,
to say, "Gentlemen, drink to my
guests" The natural response at the
instance of the most distinguished
guest present was health drink to
Lady Washington.
Following the dinner a good, long
evening was INDUCED in with pastimes
appropriate to Christmas. Blind mans
buff and hunt the slipper we're not suf-
ficfently undignified in the eyes Of
Washington to be INDUCED in. The
Washington family Christmas gifts
were GXDlD1C9U, anu N0ll10 CuSLlS was
always called upon to play on her harp
Eichord. '~~
A colored fiddler, one of the slaves
on the plantation, in picturesque plan
tntiOn garb would be called in at a
certain period, and when he would
start some merry music the young peo-
PIE chose partners for the dance. But
the older ladies and gentlemen pre-
ferred cards. Small stakes were usu-
ally played for, but gambling for money
to a considerable amount was always
most objectionable to Washington. AS
for Mrs. Washington, she would inva-
r1ably enter into none Of the general
festivities, but would be the host to
such part of her guests who would not
care to indulge in either dancing OF
cards.
1t was at late hour on the morning
following Christmas that the guests
would take their departure and the
Washington household would ouiet
DOWN to It's ordinary routine.