Evening star., 1940-12-25
Special YuIe
Programs Held
AtChurc!hes
RooseveIts Attend
Services at First
Congregational

After children had taken over
Christmas joyously during the early
morning hours, adult Americans
throughout the Nation later today
joined in observance of the birthday
of Christianity.
The Washington Federation of
Churches sponsored citywide
Christmas service at II am. at the
First Congregational Church, Tenth
and G streets NV. The President
and his family attended.
Earlier representatives of youth
church groups met at the Wash
ington Federation of Churches
Building for a am. conservation
service and breakfast, and then
visited hospitals and other institu-
tions to distribute 5000 gift-f1lled
socks. A number of churches, in
Guiding Emory and Foundry Metho-
dist Churches, held special Christ
mas services at 7 am.
Typical of the Christmas program
in thousands of American homes
was that of the White House.
The President is always awakened
early on this holiday by any children
visiting in the Executive Mansion.
This year there we're two-Franklin
D. Roosevelt, Sd, 2-year-old grand
son. and Diana Hopkins, 8. daughter
of Former Secretary of Commerce
Hopkins.
Stocking Hung for Scottie.
These two. along with the Presi-
dent and Mrs. Roosevelt, the Presi-
dents 87-year- mother and five
other Christmas guests, had hung
their stockings on the mantel in the
Presidents room. There was a
stocking hung. too, for "Falla," Mr..
Roosevelts 9-month-old Scottie.
But the stockings provided only
one high light in busy day-church
services in the morning and a big
dinner, with the President carving
the turkey.
After the Presidents family went
to sleep last night Mrs. Roosevelt
as Santa Claus assistant-took
down all the stockings and filled
each with toys, candy and fruit.
All except Falla's. He got rub
ber bone.
Into the Presidents sock she
stuffed bulky package. 1t was a
| toy scottie on a leash, which she
! -,
After a family dinner last night
the President read aloud from his
abridged edition of Dickens
Christmas Garcia family custom.
Then to bed to be ready for Santa
/ in the morning.
Mrs. Roosevelt Has Busy Day.
/ Christmas eve was busy day for
Mrs Roosevelt Early in the morn
/ ing she started her annual round
helping distribute toys and food
baskets to families who might other
wise have slim Christmas.
The President and Mrs. Roosevelt
went to the Christmas tree cere-
mony on the Ellipse, near the White
House. where the President gave the
national Christmas message and
pressed the button lighting the tree,
symbolic of the Nations observance
of Christmas.
After the community Christmas
tree ceremony yesterday, Mrs. Roose-
velt went to Green's court, be-
tween K and / street and Twenty
sixth and Twenty streets
/ NV to participate in an alley
carol service, one of number OF
community programs arranged by
the Washington Council of Church
Women.
Mrs. Frank A. LinZel, president OF
the council, greeted Mrs. Roosevelt
who then spoke a brief greeting to
the several hundred residents of the
neighborhood and the WJSV radio
audience. She expressed pleasure
at participating in program bring
ing Christmas joy to the alleys OF
| Washington and commented:
I'VE hope that year by year they
will become fewer"
The carol singing, to the accom-
paniment of small orchestra in a
truck which also carried lighted
(See YULE PROGRAMS, Page A-3)