It’s no secret that every year when Christmas rolls around, one of the things that the White House does is unveil its theme for the year. When did that start? With Jackie Kennedy. According to The White House Historical Association, her Blue Room Christmas tree was decorated with a Nutcracker theme, kicking off the tradition that continues today. Decorations, they say, were not only simple, classic, and timeless — including holly, candy canes, and gingerbread cookies — but some were reused the next year. (That’s also when she started the tradition of setting up a Nativity scene in the East Room.)
Kennedy Christmas parties weren’t just restricted to the family, either. Seasonal festivities included staff parties filled with food, music, dancing, and gifts, and it was Jackie who headed off-grounds and visited other less fortunate children: In 1961, it was a children’s hospital, and in 1962, she passed out candy to children at DC’s Junior Village, built to house hundreds of the city’s abandoned and unwanted children.
It’s also worth noting here that in 1963, JFK and Jackie would spend their last night in the White House at a party. It was November 20, 1963, the reception was officially being held for members of the federal justice system, and alongside planning the party, they had already ordered and started to sign their Christmas cards… which would never be sent.
