The Cleveland Family tree decorated with red, white and blue electric light bulbs, delighted the president's young daughters.
It was placed in the second floor Oval Room of the White House in 1894.
The White House Historical Association
It was placed in the second floor Oval Room of the White House in 1894.
The White House Historical Association
Quella dell'albero di Natale appartiene alle tradizioni della Casa Bianca a partire dal 1835 quando lo chef francese di Andrew Jackson offrì al suo presidente un abete di zucchero glassato che egli stesse aveva fatto, circondato da animali giocattolo fatti di glassa aromatizzata. La tradizione vuole che Jackson, da quel momento, non poté che amare il Natale e celebrarlo con grande giubilo ogni anno.
A view of the Jackson White House in 1835.
Il XIV° Presidente Franklin Pierce eresse un albero di Natale alla Casa Bianca nel 1856 per un gruppo di bambini della Washington Sunday School, mentre cantori, i tradizionali 'caroler', intonavano "Hark, the Herald Angels Sing.", ma la White House Historical Association ci ricorda che fu il Presidente Benjamin Harrison il primo ad avviare l'usanza di decorare un albero di Natale con addobbi e candele per la famiglia e per i visitatori dell'edificio presidenziale nel 1889 e che nel 1894, il Presidente Grover Cleveland per primo utilizzò luci elettriche per illuminare l'albero di Natale della propria famiglia.
( Il compito di decorare l'albero della Casa Bianca fa parte dei doveri della First Lady secondo un'usanza avviata nel 1929 dall'allora First Lady Lou Henry Hoover ).
Prima che venisse inventata l'elettricità e quindi le luci per decorare l'albero di Natale, le famiglie utilizzavano a tale scopo le candele, una pratica molto pericolosa che spesso ha procurato incendi casalinghi. Edward H.Johnson fu probabilmente il primo a disporre in fila delle lucine elettriche per illuminare l'albero nel 1882: egli, amico di Thomas Alva Edison e suo socio nella direzione della Edison's Illumination Company, cablò a mano 80 luci multicolori - bianco, rosso e blu - con cui decorò un albero che, grazie all'elettricità, girava persino su sé stesso !( Il compito di decorare l'albero della Casa Bianca fa parte dei doveri della First Lady secondo un'usanza avviata nel 1929 dall'allora First Lady Lou Henry Hoover ).
L'albero di Natale della famiglia del Presidente Grover Cleveland decorato con lampadine elettriche nel 1894.
Tuttavia, il mondo non era ancora pronto per l'elettricità. C'era una grande diffidenza nei confronti dell'energia elettrica e sarebbero occorsi molti anni prima che la società accettasse l'idea di decorare i propri alberi di Natale con luci elettriche. Probabilmente il Presidente Grover Cleveland fu tra i primi americani a sperimentare le luci elettriche interne per il Natale quando chiese per l'albero della la propria famiglia centinaia di lampadine elettriche multicolori.
Quasi una rottura con la tradizione e con il Natale Vittoriano ebbe luogo durante il mandato di Theodore Roosevelt, presidente degli Stati Uniti dal 1901 al 1909.
La storia ci racconta che nel 1902 il presidente, un ardente ambientalista, proibì ai suoi figlioli Archie e Quentin, di avere un albero di Natale additando alla motivazione che ciò avrebbe minato il suo programma di conservazione del paese: "Non è buona cosa tagliare gli alberi per mera decorazione. Dobbiamo dare il buon esempio al popolo d'America." Tuttavia, quando la questione venne affrontata con Gifford Pinchot, un membro del gabinetto e fondatore della Yale School of Forestry, il presidente dovette cedere; Pinchot lo assicurò che il diradamento della foresta compiuto tagliando con criterio gli alberi di Natale in realtà era di aiuto per far prosperare il patrimonio forestale e si dice che dopo tale episodio i Roosevelts decorarono un piccolo albero ogni anno.
L'inaugurazione del primo Albero di Natale nazionale all'aperto, ad opera del Presidente Calvin Coolidge, avviò una tradizione che si rinnova ad ogni amministrazione: la vigilia di Natale del 1923, egli ha dato inizio alle celebrazioni natalizie del Paese accendendo per la prima volta l'albero nazionale di Natale con 3.000 lampadine sull'Ellipse situata a sud della Casa Bianca; si trattava del primo albero di Natale della Comunità e di uno tra i primi alberi americani illuminati elettricamente.
L'inaugurazione del primo Albero di Natale nazionale all'aperto, ad opera del Presidente Calvin Coolidge, avviò una tradizione che si rinnova ad ogni amministrazione: la vigilia di Natale del 1923, egli ha dato inizio alle celebrazioni natalizie del Paese accendendo per la prima volta l'albero nazionale di Natale con 3.000 lampadine sull'Ellipse situata a sud della Casa Bianca; si trattava del primo albero di Natale della Comunità e di uno tra i primi alberi americani illuminati elettricamente.
L'abete balsamico, alto ben 48 piedi, proveniva dalla proprietà dei Coolidge sita nel Vermont e molti gruppi musicali erano presenti per festeggiare la nuova cerimonia dell'accensione delle lampadine elettriche sull'albero nazionale.
Fino al 1903, quando la General Electric ha iniziato ad offrire i kit pre-assemblati di luci natalizie, le così dette 'luci a corda', erano appannaggio esclusivo dei i più facoltosi che potevano permettersi un impianto curato direttamente da un elettricista professionista; secondo alcuni studi, illuminare elettricamente un albero di Natale di medie dimensioni prima del 1903 sarebbe costato quanto corrisponde a $ 2000,00 odierni !
•♥•*´¨`*•♥•*•♥•*´¨`*•♥•*•♥•*´¨`*•♥•
"Poichè un bimbo è nato per noi,
un figlio ci è stato donato.
Il Governo
poggerà sulle sue spalle.
Ed egli sarà chiamato:
Consigliere Sapiente, Dio Potente,
Padre Eterno, Principe della Pace ".
ISAIA 9:6
un figlio ci è stato donato.
Il Governo
poggerà sulle sue spalle.
Ed egli sarà chiamato:
Consigliere Sapiente, Dio Potente,
Padre Eterno, Principe della Pace ".
ISAIA 9:6
Le gioie più semplici, piccole soddisfazioni,
Risate e sorrisi in gran quantità.
Amici, famiglia, affiatamento, amore ...
Le elette benedizioni che provengono dall'alto.
Pace, Prosperità, Salute ed anche Serenità ...
Tutto questo e molto altro vi auguro con il cuore !
BUON NATALE !
- picture 1 - The Cleveland Family tree decorated with red, white and blue electric light bulbs, delighted the president's young daughters. It was placed in the second floor Oval Room of the White House in 1894. The White House Historical Association
That of the Christmas tree belongs to the traditions of the White House since 1835 when Andrew Jackson's french chef offered to his President a frosted sugar spruce that he made by himself, surrounded by flavored frosting toy animals. Tradition has it, that Jackson, from that moment, could not help but love Christmas and celebrate it with great jubilation every year.
- picture 2 - A view of the Jackson White House in 1835.
The XIV° President Franklin Pierce erected a Christmas tree in the White House in 1856 for a group of children from the Washington Sunday School, while the traditional 'caroler' sang "Hark, the Herald Angels Sing.", But the white House Historical Association reminds us that President Benjamin Harrison was the first to launch the custom of decorating a Christmas tree with decorations and candles for the family and for the visitors of the presidential building in 1889 and that in 1894, President Grover Cleveland the first to use electric lights to illuminate the Christmas tree of his own family.
(The task of decorating the Christmas tree inside the White House is part of the First Lady's duties according to a tradition started in 1929 by the then First Lady Lou Henry Hoover).
- picture 3 - The Christmas tree of President Grover Cleveland's family decorated with electric bulbs in 1894.
Before electricity and then the electric light bulbs to decorate the Christmas tree were invented, families used candles, a very dangerous practice which often procured household fires. Edward H.Johnson was probably the first to have lined up electric lights to light a Christmas tree in 1882: he, as a friend of Thomas Alva Edison and his associate in the direction of the Edison's Illumination Company, cabled by hand 80 multicolored lights - white, red and blue - with which he decorated a tree which also, thanks to electricity, turned on itself!
However, the world was not ready for electricity. There was a great distrust about electricity and it would take many years before people would accept the idea of decorating a Christmas tree with electric lights. Probably President Grover Cleveland was among the first Americans to experience internal electric lights for Christmas when he asked for his family's tree hundreds of multi-colored electric bulbs.
Nearly a break with the tradition and with the Victorian Christmas took place during the term of Theodore Roosevelt, US President from 1901 to 1909.
History tells us that in 1902 the President, an ardent environmentalist, forbade his sons Archie and Quentin to have a Christmas tree, pointing out that this would undermine his program of conservation of the Country: "It is not good to cut trees for mere decoration. We need to set a good example to the people of America." However, when the matter was discussed with Gifford Pinchot, a cabinet member and founder of the Yale School of Forestry, the President had to surrender; Pinchot assured him that the thinning of the forest made by cutting wisely Christmas trees was actually a help for the forest heritage to prosper and it is said that after this occurence the Roosevelts, since then, decorated a small tree every Christmas.
The inauguration of the first national Christmas tree outdoors, by President Calvin Coolidge, began a tradition that is renewed every administration: on Christmas Eve of 1923, he started the Christmas celebrations of the Country lighting for the first time the national Christmas tree decorated with 3,000 electric light bulbs; located on the Ellipse, which is laying south of the White House, it was the first Christmas tree of the Community and one of the first American Christmas trees electrically lit.
- picture 4 and picture 5 - Lighting the first Christmas tree for the American Comunity.
The balsamic fir, about 48 feet high, came from the Coolidge property located in Vermont and many bands were present to celebrate the new ceremony of the lighting of the national tree electric bulbs.
Until 1903, when General Electric began offering pre-assembled kits of Christmas lights, the so-called 'string lights', was an exclusive preserve of the wealthy people who could afford a neat system directly from a professional electrician; according to recent studies, to light up a medium-sized Christmas tree with electricity before 1903 would cost how much $ 2000.00 are today !
•♥•*´¨`*•♥•*•♥•*´¨`*•♥•*•♥•*´¨`*•♥•
"For a child is born to us,
a son is given to us.
The government will
rest on his shoulders.
And he will be called:
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."
ISAIAH 9:6
The simplest joys, little pleasures,
Laughter and smiles in big measures.
Friends, family, togetherness, love ...
The choicest blessings from above.
Peace, prosperity, health and happiness too ...
All these and many more are my wishes for you !
MERRY CHRISTMAS !
Merry Christmas dear Daniela and I enjoyed your interesting post and thanks for sharing.
RispondiEliminaHappy holidays and sending my love, hugs and best wishes
Carolyn xo
@ Carolyn
Eliminadearest friend, wishing you too a very Merry Chhristmas, sending blessings to you and your dear ones,
thank your for so lovely and precious friendship ❥
Dear Dany,
RispondiEliminai wish you a merry Chrismas and happy holidays with your family.
Your blog is a beautiful present in my live.
During Christmastime we send peace and love around the world.
I hope and wish this would be all the time.
Buon Natale and warm hugs,
your Manuela
@ Manuela
Eliminayour words are too beautuiful to me, with them you moved me and touched my heart till leaving me speechless ...
I wholeheartedly thank you and reciprocate your Good Wishes to you and your family,
FROHE WEINACHTEN, GELIEBTE MANUELA ⊰✽*☆*☆*✽⊱
Hello, lovely post and images. Merry Christmas to you and your family.
RispondiElimina@ eileeninmd
EliminaMerry Christmas to you and your family too, Dearie, thank you for being always so dear and nice, my lovely !
Big hugs are sent on your way today •♥•*♡*•♥•
• ★ Merry ★* 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •
RispondiElimina•。★ Christmas 。* 。
° 。 ° ˛˚˛ * _Π_____*。*˚
˚ ˛ •˛•˚ */______/~\。˚ ˚ ˛
˚ ˛ •˛• ˚| 田田 |門| ˚And a Happy New Year
* Joy to all! ♫•*¨* Peace on Earth ♪♫•*¨*
@ Sandee
Eliminamay yours too be a very Merry Christmas,
sending my Best Wishes across the many miles ಌ•❤•ಌ
Dear Dany, I wish you and family a Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year!
RispondiEliminaThanks for your lovely photos and words they always pleased me.
Hugs and love,
Ana (from Ana Love Craft)
@ Ana
Eliminamy Dearest, thanks most sincerely for your so welcome Good Wishes for Christmas and the New Year coming, may yours too be blessed with Love, Peace and Hope !
Thinking of you with much love and gratitude ♡❤♡
Ti auguro un Natale colmo di gioia e di serenità. Grazie per il meraviglioso post
RispondiEliminaBacioni Alessandra
@ Alessandra
Eliminagrazie a te, carissima, grazie di tutto cuore, per essere sempre presente con affetto e dedizione e per gli Auguri che mi rinnovi !
Contraccambio con ammirazione e gioia e spero che tu stia trascorrendo un giorno di Natale avvolta dalla gioia più autentica ⊰✽*✽⊱
Un post ad hoc per farci gustare ancor di più la magia di questa festa.
RispondiEliminaBuon Natale a tutti voi, cara Daniela
Susanna
@ Susanna
Eliminanella speranza che anche il tuo sia stato un Natale da ricordare con gioia, lascia che ti auguri un Sereno Nuovo Anno, scintillante di momenti di gioia, di gratificazioni, di amore e di sogni da realizzare !
ஐ Con tutto il cuore ti abbraccio ஐ
I so enjoyed this post, I can't imagine that people would feel safe using candles on their trees but can understand how they would be a little leery about something they have never seen before like electric lights on trees. There is just something so calming about having a dark room with just the glow of the Christmas tree, it is so hard every year for me to take it down.
RispondiEliminaI hope you enjoyed a lovely day yesterday!!
@ Conniecrafter
EliminaI also love the Christmas tree lights in a dark room so much, you're right, dearie, so as you are when you say that candles were so very dangerous, they had to think about something else, for sure, even if i have to say that the atmosphere which a candle creates is filled with warmth and uniqueness ... today, with a candle lit on our tables we may feel safer than once !
Hope you had a wonderful Christmas,
I'm wishing you many blessings in the New Year coming,
with utmost gratitude and love ♥∗✿♡✿∗♥
very lovely and sweet. Merry Merry Christmas- hope your day was just what you wanted!
RispondiElimina@ Kathe
Eliminayou're so heartily welcome, dearie, thank you !
You know, my family is the most beautiful Gift I could ever wish !!!
Wishing you all my best for the New Year ahead,
may it be filled with moments of Joy and Contentment,
with Peace, Health and Love ❀≼♥≽❀
Bella questa cronaca sul primo albero illuminato elettricamente😀
RispondiEliminaTi auguro delle Feste Serene cara Dany e spero tu possa crogiolarti davanti al camino e assaporare la quiete e il calore .... un abbraccio🤗💓😘🎄
@ WOODY
Eliminacontraccambio questo tuo caloroso ed affettuoso augurio e lo estendo a tutti i tuoi cari, sono questi giorni in cui godiamo dell'amore delle nostre famiglie attorno alle quali ci stringiamo ... grazie per la tua sempre deliziosa presenza qui, mia dolce amica, ti invio un grande bacio, con tanta, tanta gratitudine *❤*
Oh how I have loved gazing at all 'your' Christmas trees. I rather like the thought of candles glowing on a tree, but I suppose, as you say terribly dangerous. Thank you so much for your gorgeous Christmas blessing, beautiful Dany. I can't tell you what a delight it is to visit your gorgeous corner of the world, each time. You always put a smile in my heart with your beauty. A blessed Christmas to you, lovely friend, and may you have a beautiful new year. Xx
RispondiElimina@ Kim
Eliminawondrous friend, thank you for gracing my blog this morning both with your so lovely and heartfelt welcome presence here, and with your so beautiful, beautiful, words, blessed be !
May the New Year coming make all your dreams come true, Dearie, sending much love ༺❀༻
Gorgeous share! Thanks for sharing the photos and beautiful post. Hope your CHRISTmas was Merry and Bright! enjoy a wonderful New Year 2017! xo
RispondiElimina@ Annesphamily
EliminaI welcome you with a big, warm hug, sweet friend !
Thanks most sincerely for your lovely words of enjoyment and your Good Wishes, may your New Year too be blessed with Love and Health ♥*✯*♥
meraviglioso il tuo post cara dany..
RispondiEliminaspero tu abbia trascorso un natale da favola..
un abbraccio e ancora buone festività:)
daniela
@ daniela
Eliminanella speranza che anche il tuo sia stato un Natale meraviglioso almeno quanto meriti, ti abbraccio con il cuore augurandoti un Sereno e Gioioso 2017, carissima amica, grazie ancora per le parole di apprezzamento con cui sempre abbellisci i miei posts ❥
Merry Christmas dear Daniela. As always I greatly enjoyed the history lesson. Even though there is a great tradition of Christmas trees at the White House I'd never thought about how those trees influenced others. Well I am glad people don't light their trees with candles any longer, so dangerous! I hope your Christmas was a blessing and that your year ahead will be full of peace and joy! sending wishes of love. Michele
RispondiElimina@ Michele
Eliminayou're such a blessing to me, your words always fill my heart with joy and make my day, thank you, Sweetie !
Hoping that yours too was a wonderful Christmas,
I'm sending blessings of Joy and Love on your New Year ahead,
with heartfelt gratitude for the Beautiful Lady and Friend you are ಌ❀ಌ
I hope you had a beautiful Christmas, sweet friend.
RispondiEliminaSending you hugs from across the ocean.
xo.
@ Lisa
EliminaI'm so grateful to you for blessing my day, today, having you here means so much to me !
Wishing you a wonderful New Year,
may it sparkle with joy and gladness to you and yours,
dearest, precious friend of mine ☆:*♡*:☆
Hello Dani,
RispondiEliminaI hope you and your family had a wonderful Christmas. I am always amazed with your vast knowledge and pieces of history that you share with us all.
Your images of Christmas past are beautiful and a reminder of simpler times. Christmas trees have a certain way of touching our hearts and making us dream away.
I wish you a healthy and happy 2017 sweet friend. I also want to thank you for the unconditional support and blogging friendship.
With a sincere heart,
Janet
rosemary-thyme.blogspot.com
@ Janet
Eliminadarling friend, you're so very dear to me, with your words of enjoyment and appreciation you always make my heart sing, thank you !
Hope you also had a joy-filled Christmas,
I'm sending all my love to you,
may the New Year ahead bring moments of gladness and contentment, peace and health to you and your family,
thinking of you with much, oh so much thankfulness,
my Dearest ⊰✽•♥•♥•✽⊱
Merry Christmas! It is the common, everyday blessings that make our lives wonderful.
RispondiEliminaHere's my Wordless Wednesday!
@ Deb Nance at Readerbuzz
EliminaI'm coming and visit you very soon, thank you !
*ஜ* Wishing you a wonderful 2017 *ஜ*
Hi Dany,
RispondiEliminaI am catching up and loving this look at our United States' Christmas tree heritage. Great photos, as always and lots of interesting tidbits I knew nothing about!
Merry and Happy -- I hope you are enjoying this in-between week! Thank you for the joy you have brought to me in 2016!
@ Jeanie
Eliminayou're so dear, it is I who want to thank you, having met you during the year which is going to its end has blessed my heart with such a joy !
Wishing you a very blessed New Year,
may it realize all your dreams, with love and gladness ...
✿ •• ... and let me hope to you meet you for real in 2017 •• ✿
Hello my Dear Dany,
RispondiEliminaI hope that you had the most wonderful Christmas filled with love! I so enjoyed learning about the first White House Christmas trees and the electric lights. We take them for granted in this day and age, but truly they are a miracle! Thank you for your dear friendship and your kind condolences for our recent loss. I am wishing you all the very best that life can give you with many blessings in the coming New Year!
Love and hugs xo
Karen
@ Karen
Eliminamy Dearest, I often find myself thinking of you and the emptiness you're feeling during this period, which is spreading out joy and gladness from everywhere ... when we do suffer such loss during the festivities we feel so very lonely, as I already wrote to you, I've lost my dear Grandma 18 years ago, just ten days before Christmas Eve ... that year we celebrated Christmas as usual, because for sure she would have wanted it, but at our table there was a so sad atmosphere ... her empty chair ... to go on living without her wasn't and still is not so easy - she was like a Mother to me - but we have another Guardian Angel looking at us from up above ... and so it is for you too !
Wishing you too many blessings for the coming New Year,
sending my stongest and warmest hug across the many miles,
my Precious, Beautiful Lady ~ ღ★ღ
Wonderful history from my country Danielle and beautiful pictures. We visited a mansion in the south once and were told that the local people were frightened to death when the wealthy family installed electricity ... I guess they thought the whole town would burn up when the lights went on.
RispondiEliminaThe history of the Christmas tree is quite interesting. I hope you had a very merry Christmas and wish you the happiest of New Years.
@ Sallie
Eliminasweetest friend of mine, I do believe that at first people was suspicious about electricity, since they didn't know what it was, but didn't know also how much more dangerous candles were !
Thanks most sincerely for your words of enjoyment for this topic, they mean so much to me !
Trusting that you too had a wonderful Christmas Time, I'm wishing you all my best for the New Year ahead,
with utmost thankfulness for your so lovely friendship ❥
Dany, you know more about the American presidents' customs than most Americans, I'm sure! You always teach us as well as entertain us on your beautiful blog. Wishing you a wondrous winter and a wonderful 2017.
RispondiElimina@ Jean
Eliminayou're always far too generous with me, dearest friend !
May your 2017 too bring everything you wish and deserve,
you're a so lovely Lady with such a kind heart ... it's a quite rare gift nowadays, that's why I do appreciate and admire you so much, blessed be the moment when I knew you ಌ•❤•ಌ
Wow! That was a lot of lights and money! I'm not sure how many lights adorn our property at Christmas, it's quite a bit, and I am so grateful for LED's! This was an interesting bit of history. I hope you had a beautiful Christmas and all the best to you in 2017!
RispondiElimina@ Andrea
Eliminadearest, adorable friend, thanks most sincerely for being here today !
Wishing you too many blessings for your 2017,
which is just around the corner !
With heartfelt thanfulness,
your friendship is so precious to me ✿⊱╮
Dany, your posts always show forth beauty and enlightenment. Thank you for educating uson something we ourselves should know.
RispondiEliminaHow lovely the trees must have been when lit up with candles. A dear friend and I were just speaking on that subject and came to the conclusion that those who put up trees on Christmas eve may do so due to the tradition of using candles. You couldn't put it up too soon.
I so enjoy sitting and relaxing around the Christmas tree with all other lights out, quite beautiful.
Always a joy visiting with you and seeing your beauty.
May the New Year bring you joy and peace, dear lady~
@ Debbie
Eliminayou always put me in such high spirits, your so beautiful words touch my heart and move me ... thank you !
You and your friend are right, once, when Christmas trees were enlightened with candles, it was traditional to put all the Christmas decorations during the Christmas Eve while waiting for Christmas arriving and all the candles could spread their light just for that time, it was for sure such a wonder, but what a danger, the resin contained inside the branches of a fir ignites with even the most feeble flame !
Thanking you for the beautiful, wonderful, adorable lady and friend you are,
I'm sending blessings on your New Year coming,
may it bring much joy, peace and healt to you and your dear ones too╰☆╮
It was so fun seeing these Dany! I love old black and white photos!! Thanks for sharing with SYC.
RispondiEliminahugs,
Jann
@ Jann
Eliminamy darling friend, it is I who want to thank you ... wholeheartedly !
I'm sending blessings of joy on your weekend ahead,
with utmost gratitude ♡ஐ♡