Presidential Christmas Cards

With the presidential election looming and the holiday season approaching, I am wondering what White House Christmas card President Bush has planned for release this year. Through the ages, Presidential Christmas cards have run from simple designs featuring the Presidential seal to commissioned fine prints. Here is a brief summary of cards sent by a variety of our U.S. Presidents.

Bowing to public pressure, President Calvin Coolidge can be credited with having provided the very first Presidential Christmas card in 1927. Handwritten on White House stationery, the President asked that his holiday message be printed in newspapers throughout America so that all could receive his Christmas wishes.

Documents have suggested that it is actually the First Lady who reigns supreme over most White House Christmas card selections. In 1931 Mrs. Herbert Hoover selected favorite photographic prints from her extensive collection. The card signed by President Hoover featured a picture of him taken in the White House Rose Garden. The message was simply, "A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year."

The Roosevelt’s also featured a photograph on their simple card sent in 1942. Taken just outside the Oval Office, the black and white card printed on one side sent wishes for a "happier" New Year.

In 1961 the Presidential Seal was shown on a background of green with Season’s Greetings printed in gold script below. Tasteful and elegant, the First Lady must have had a hand in selecting this holiday greeting that read, "The President and Mrs. Kennedy Wish you a Blessed Christmas and a Happy New Year."

President Nixon’s design choices varied widely from year to year. In 1970 the solid green card featured a small gold image of the White House surrounded by a textured green wreath. The following year’s card featured a reproduction of an N.C. Wyeth painting. President Washington is shown viewing a scene of the White House under construction.

Thanks to an article in the Wall Street Journal, we know that Mrs. Clinton orchestrated the production of President Clinton’s 1993 Christmas card. According to published meeting agendas we know that Mrs. Clinton and four staff members met in May to discuss the card for that year. A follow-up meeting was held less than a week later that lasted an hour. It seems May is not too soon to begin planning the perfect holiday greeting. A photograph of the Clinton’s in front of a White House Christmas tree was taken on November 11 for the 1993 White House Christmas card.

And finally, for last year’s 2007 release, the First Lady chose an illustrator that painted a scene from the Jacqueline Kennedy Garden on the grounds of the White House. The design itself was pleasing but the message inside the card was widely criticized for its religious message.

One has to wonder what this year’s Christmas cards will bring!