Christmas at the White House Author:Jennifer B. Pickens Christmas at the White House beautifully documents the lavish public and private Christmas decorations, celebrations, themes and traditions spanning half of a century inside the world's most famous address: 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. — Illustrated with more than 500 exquisite photographs, most of which have never been viewed by the public before, ... more »this 408 page book is the first documented and published history of fifty years and nine different administrations beginning in the early 1960s with First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, who initiated formal Christmas themes at the White House.
With a foreword written by First Lady Laura Bush, this singular book has earned the devotion of six of the most recent United States First Ladies, all of whom penned introductions to their sections. Read what Betty Ford, Rosalynn Carter, Nancy Reagan, ?Barbara Bush, Hillary Clinton, and Laura Bush have to say about how they celebrated Christmas inside America's most special home.
"This book should be on every person's gift list, regardless of age or nationality," says Letitia Baldrige, Jacqueline Kennedy's former White House Social Secretary, who wrote the introduction to the section on the Kennedy years. First Daughters Lynda Johnson Robb and Tricia Nixon Cox provided insights into what Christmas was like when they were at the Executive Mansion.
Author Jennifer Pickens interviewed dozens of White House insiders including First Families, social secretaries, chiefs of staff, chefs, florists, volunteers, artisans and more. The book also includes special features on the White House crèche, the selection of the official White House Christmas tree and many more time-honored traditions such as the annual gingerbread house, highlighted by lively anecdotes from renowned Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier.
Christmas at the White House provides a spectacular view into one of the most historic homes in the world, during the most magical and beautiful time of the year.« less