Evening star., 1942-12-12
President Plans
Christmas Eve
Radio Address
ToIk Will Be Made
During Traditional
Tree Ceremony

Tree ceremony
President Roosevelt will broadcast
q Christmas greeting to the Nation
from the National Christmas Tree
ceremony on the south grounds of
the White House on Christmas eve,
the White House announced today.
The ceremony will be held earlier
on the afternoon of December "a
than usual this year in order to
avoid any need for use of electric
lights. The exact time of the Presi-
dents address has not been an
nounced
The White House emphasized that
In order to conserve electricity and
materials needed in the war effort,
the tree used for the ceremony
will not be lighted and will have
no new ornaments placed on it.
For decoration of the tree, the
school children of Washington have
been asked to contribute their old
ornaments. Large, ball type" orna-
ments of any color should be taken
to school Fairgrounds before next
Saturday, the local Executive Com
mlttee arranging the ceremony has
announced. They will be collected
by the District Recreation Depart
nent.
1T will be a children's Christmas
tree said Miss Sybil Baker, chair
man OF the Executive Committee.
Inside Tree to Be Plain.
The White House also said that
no electrical decorations or new ma
terials will be used in Christmas dec
orations in the White House this
season. Decorations salvaged from
those used in the past will be on the
small Roosevelt family Christmas
tree in the west hall on the second
floor of the White House.
During the morning of December
"a the President and Mrs. Roosevelt
will receive the White House office
force in the Chief Executives office.
They will receive members of their
household staff, including their fam
lilies and minor children, in the east
room during the afternoon.
MIR. Roosevelt will follow his ira
ditional custom of reading Dickens
Christmas Carol" aloud to the
family after dinner on Christmas
eve.
Will Attend Church.
The White House schedule for
Christmas Day includes attendance
by the President, Mrs. Roosevelt and
members Of the family at religious
services arranged under the auspices
of the Washington Federation of
Churches.
The Roosevelt family Christmas
gift distribution will be held in the
afternoon of Christmas Day. The
President will carve the turkey at
family dinner that evening.
Among the house guests of the
President and Mrs. Roosevelt will be
Mrs. Franklin D. Roosevelt, jr, and
two children, Franklin D., III, and
Christopher; Mrs. j. R. Roosevelt of
New York, sister-in-law of the Presi-
dent; Harry Hooker of New York
and Mr.. and Mrs. Harry Hopkins
and daughter Diana.
AS in many another home, all the
sons of the nations first family
will be away in uniform. While all
the four Roosevelt boys were In
service last Christmas time, Maj.
James Roosevelt, then a Marine
captain, was home on leave and
attended the tree-lightirg and
church services.
A live spruce tree on the south
lawn of the White House will be
used for the community Christmas
tree.
Public Admitted.
The general public will be admit
ted to the ceremony as before, the
White House announced, beginning
with the Marine Band concert in
midafternoon. The local Executive
Committee is also sending out invi-
tations to a few selected guests.
Both invited guests and the gen.
eral public have been asked by the
Metropolitan Police Department to
attend the ceremony on foot or in
some public vehicle.
1--WE can't accommodate the Of
fetal parking and the widespread
general parking that we used to al
low for the ceremony" said In
spector Arthur E. Miller.
Harold Snyder, Recreation De-
partment official responsible for COL
lecting the donated Christmas deco
rations. stressed that osly used ones
would be accepted No new deco
rations can be purchased for the
tree, according to White House regu-
lations, he said. His committee, COM
composed of Miss Harlean James
and j. S. Bartlett, asked that
large, round ornaments be brought
instead of small or intricately shaped
ones.
President to Appear.
The President and Mrs. Roosevelt
will stand on the south portico of
the White House during the cere-
mony and the Presidents broadcast
to the Nation. This will be the sec
ond year for the National Com
munity Christmas Tree exercises to
be held in the White House Grounds.
For 20 years before the war they
were held in Lafayette Park across
the street from the White House or
in the Ellipse. Prime Minister
Churchill was in Washington for his
first wartime visit during the last
Christmas week and participated
with Mr.. Roosevelt in the ceremony.
The decorations in the White
House itself will include two wreaths
between the columns in the lobby
and spray of mistletoe hung from
the big light in the lobby. A wreath
also will be placed over the front
door with one in each of the win
doWs on either side of the front door.