Presidential Holiday Parties Throughout History

A Season of Giving

Andrew Jackson unfortunately never had the opportunity to experience a joyful Christmas holiday as a boy, so when he became president, he made sure that none of the local children were left out of the holiday season. He invited all the children in the area to come to a Christmas party where he took them out to deliver gifts to the past presidents. He encouraged generosity in his children by taking them to deliver presents to the local orphanage.

That is a very noble deed for the president to do making sure the kids practice good ethics at a young age.

Lincoln Made It Official

Until Lincoln’s time in the White House, Thanksgiving was not an official holiday. In fact, while Christmas was still considered a normal work day, Lincoln passed a resolution that made Thanksgiving the fourth Thursday of November. Until this time, Thanksgiving was a regional holiday that was celebrated occasionally. Lincoln’s focus on these holidays was to continue working for his country and to provide gifts of clothing, food, and medical supplies to children and soldiers.

“Now, therefore, I, Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States, do hereby appoint and set apart the last Thursday in November next as a day which I desire to be observed by all my fellow-citizens,” as written in the Proclamation 118.