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A History of White House Christmas Cards
Radio Patriot
Andrea Shea King
12/8/2013
Excerpt:
We don’t know yet what this year’s official White House Christmas — oops — “holiday” card will look like, although we do have an idea it might be this one (shown in the article), commissioned by the White House Historical Association and painted by John Hutton, 53, an associate professor of art history and professional illustrator.
The scene depicts a tribute to America’s first socialist president Woodrow Wilson. Apropos, wouldn’t you say?
Though the Whitehouse.gov website has not yet officially announced the annual White House card design, we can be pretty sure it’ll be this one, given the subject – a socialist president and his sheep.
La plus ca change…
Here (shown in the article) is my favorite, though it was never an official White House Christmas card. It should have been, don’t you think?
Winter Eve by Rod Chase
Winter’s Eve by Rod Chase (http://www.rodchase.com/p-105-winters-eve.aspx)
White House Christmas Cards
(Shown in the article is) the 2012 White House Christmas card featuring a painting by Iowa artist Larassa Kabel of the dog Bo running across the White House’s north lawn. Unless Bo is a reincarnation of the Christ Child and I missed it, there is absolutely no symbol of the reason for the season. This could have been — and probably was — inspired by a snapshot taken by White House photographer on a fun frolic through the snow.
White House Christmas Card 2011 (shown in the article)
According to an article written in Presidential Memorabilia, there have been official greeting cards from the White House for more than half a century, going out to a select number of people for the holidays. I’ve reprinted the article and added illustrations so you can enjoy a Christmas season trip down America’s White House memory lane.
...............................................
View the complete article, including many historical Christmas Card photos, at:
http://radiopatriot.wordpress.com/20...ristmas-cards/
Radio Patriot
Andrea Shea King
12/8/2013
Excerpt:
We don’t know yet what this year’s official White House Christmas — oops — “holiday” card will look like, although we do have an idea it might be this one (shown in the article), commissioned by the White House Historical Association and painted by John Hutton, 53, an associate professor of art history and professional illustrator.
The scene depicts a tribute to America’s first socialist president Woodrow Wilson. Apropos, wouldn’t you say?
Though the Whitehouse.gov website has not yet officially announced the annual White House card design, we can be pretty sure it’ll be this one, given the subject – a socialist president and his sheep.
“This year’s watercolor card features a serene, pastoral scene on the front lawn of the White House on Christmas in 1913.
All the details of the painting are historically accurate, from the elm tree Wilson planted in the front lawn to signify hope as Europe teetered on the edge of World War I, to the little sheep looking out into the snowy landscape.
And the sheep served a practical purpose, Hutton said.
“When I was doing my research, I found out that Wilson was famous for having a flock of sheep on the grounds of the White House and I think it was because he wanted to save money on gardening expenses,” he said.”
All the details of the painting are historically accurate, from the elm tree Wilson planted in the front lawn to signify hope as Europe teetered on the edge of World War I, to the little sheep looking out into the snowy landscape.
And the sheep served a practical purpose, Hutton said.
“When I was doing my research, I found out that Wilson was famous for having a flock of sheep on the grounds of the White House and I think it was because he wanted to save money on gardening expenses,” he said.”
La plus ca change…
Here (shown in the article) is my favorite, though it was never an official White House Christmas card. It should have been, don’t you think?
Winter Eve by Rod Chase
Winter’s Eve by Rod Chase (http://www.rodchase.com/p-105-winters-eve.aspx)
White House Christmas Cards
(Shown in the article is) the 2012 White House Christmas card featuring a painting by Iowa artist Larassa Kabel of the dog Bo running across the White House’s north lawn. Unless Bo is a reincarnation of the Christ Child and I missed it, there is absolutely no symbol of the reason for the season. This could have been — and probably was — inspired by a snapshot taken by White House photographer on a fun frolic through the snow.
White House Christmas Card 2011 (shown in the article)
According to an article written in Presidential Memorabilia, there have been official greeting cards from the White House for more than half a century, going out to a select number of people for the holidays. I’ve reprinted the article and added illustrations so you can enjoy a Christmas season trip down America’s White House memory lane.
...............................................
View the complete article, including many historical Christmas Card photos, at:
http://radiopatriot.wordpress.com/20...ristmas-cards/