The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1925-12-25

Christmas Day 1926 found
Washington prepared % celebrate.
So the religious and tie secular
ssnss the worlds greatest and
most widely observed festival.
The eaxly morning boasted =
81 slona snow Ini md the
lheagy fleets 81 clonds that nioved
81 slow page6ntz cfs
heavens the hope d white
Christmas.
Poor wen Cared Tor
The Open.landsd generosity d
washing TOMS citizens brought light.
warmth and cheer into the dwellings
of the poor. Almost every home.
no matter how small ana dingy.
where small children played found
the center of it, celebration in
Christmas tree.
In the churches, bright with
myriad lights and gay with frag-
rant evergreen. eloquent preachers
told their congregations the familiar
story o4 the First Christmas, and
Echoirs sang the j1biIant rejoicing
anthems Of the season.
Gradually the streets bscaTns
filled with persons burdened with
packages wrapped in the traditional
white tissue, bound with eeala OF
many colors and with tinseI cord.
Total strangers forgot they had
never seen each other before. ex.
changed greetings and told what
Cousin Lucy had sent them.
Joyous for Children
Christmas toys. for which fond
parents had risked their lives la the
holiday crush at the stores. were
largely d total loss before thte day
was really under way. Little MilEe
had eaten the ochre, burnt sienna
and madden lake out OF his juvenile
paint box, and two-year-Old Augusta
had proved that nothing is quite 50
good as daddy's new fountain pen
for drawing fututrist masterpieces
over mammals Yuletitde tablecloth.
The National Community Christ
mas Tree in Sherman Square, south
of the Treasury Building, was lighted
by President Coolidge yesterday at
dusk. A great multitude, represent
ing every station of Washington
life, was present.
Carols were played by the Marine
Band and were sung by the. great
audience. Herbert A. Wagner, chair
man of the National Committee for
Community Christmas Trees. pre-.
scented the Chief Executive with q
parchment memorial of the occa.
sion.
Sing for President
Following the return OF the Presi.
- 4 -.
John, to the White House, they
were entertained BY choir Of sixty
voices from the First congregational
Church. The Coolidges stood in
the lighted portico, and Mrs. Cool
idge joined in the singing.
1t was the close of a busy day
for the First Lady. During the day
she had assisted In the giving Of
baskets to the poor in the Saliva
ton Army auditorium, and bad also
taken part in the Central Union
Mission gathering at Keith's Theater.
The Coolidges are spending the
day quietly. They have their own
Christmas tree, and probably viii
have no guests for dinner.
Orphanages and homes for the
best OF them. Hospitals were
thronged with visitors. The Dis
trict jail had all the appearance OF
q successful community center.
+ The celebration of Christmas
Day really began last night, when,
after an orgy Of last-minute shop
ping among the tate shops and q
feverish rushing about OF special
delivery messengers, taxicabs and
trucks, there was &
brief period of quiet.
Midnight Masses
Then thousands began pouring
into Catholic churches Tor the mid.
night mass. /, Many stood III lines
uutsIde Of st. Patrickis Church unfiR