| Until 1923, holiday celebrations were local in nature. That year, the erection of a National Christmas Tree was the first of several holiday
practices instituted during the Coolidge Presidency that are still with us
today. On Christmas Eve, the Chief Executive walked to the darkened tree on
the Ellipse and pressed the switch with his foot to illuminate its 3,000
bulbs. While radio station WCAP broadcast the event to possibly a million
Americans, the President gave no speech. The evening centered, instead, on
Christmas carols and other festive music by local church choirs and the
U.S. Marine Band.
It was 1927 when President Coolidge issued a holiday message to the
nation-and then only a brief one written by his own hand on White House
stationery. Its text was carried in newspapers across the land on Christmas
Day. Finally, in 1928, on his last Christmas Eve in office, the President
delivered to the nation via radio the first tree-lighting speech. It was 49
words in length.
For Christmas, the First Lady often gave little gifts to the staff. Her
husband was known for his tight fist and a thrift that he both practiced
and preached. |