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12/9/76 - Press Preview of Christmas Decorations
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1489578
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document
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12/9/76 - Press Preview of Christmas Decorations
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Sheila R. Weidenfeld Files (Ford Administration)
Sheila Weidenfeld's Daily Events Files
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White House (Washington, D.C.)
Holidays
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1976-12-31
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1976
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1976-12-01
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1976
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The original documents are located in Box 11, folder "12/9/76 - Press Preview of Christmas
Decorations" of the Sheila Weidenfeld Files at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.
Copyright Notice
The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of
photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Gerald Ford donated to the United
States of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections.
Works prepared by U.S. Government employees as part of their official duties are in the public
domain. The copyrights to materials written by other individuals or organizations are presumed to
remain with them. If you think any of the information displayed in the PDF is subject to a valid
copyright claim, please contact the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.
UP-091
(BETTY FORD)
WASHINGTON (UPI) -- A SMILING BETTY FORD DECORATED HER LAST WHITE
HOUSE CHRISTMAS TREE TODAY AND SAID NEITHER SHE NOR HER HUSBAND IS
RETIRING.
PINNING TWIN "BETTY" AND "JERRY" WHITE DO VE DECORATIONS ON THE
CEILING HIGH TREE IN THE BLUE ROOM, THE FIRST LADY GRINNED WHEN A
REPORTER ASKED IF SHE WAS RETIRING WHEN PRESIDENT FORD LEAVES OFFICE
JAN. 20.
"I'M NOT RETIRING AT ALL. NEITHER IS THE PRESIDENT. NOT AT ALL,"
SHE SAID.
"I WILL CONTINUE WORKING WITH MY VARIOUS PROJECTS AND THE
PRESIDENT WILL BE BUSY," SHE SAID. WOMEN'S RIGHTS, SHE SAID, WILL BE
AMONG HER POST -WHITE HOUSE PROJECTS.
WAS THIS LAST CHRISTMAS IN THE WHITE HOUSE A SAD TIME?
"NO," SHE SAID.
"IT IS NOT AT ALL SAD. WE'RE VERY HAPPY. FOR THE CHILDREN AND I
ARE SO VERY HAPPY TO BE GETTING THE PRESIDENT BACK. BUT, YOU KNOW, WE
PROBABLY WON'T BECAUSE HE'S GOING TO BE VERY BUSY," SHE SAID.
UPI 12-09 03:18 PES
LIBRARY
FORD &
033470
D' from Rev. 11 of the Sheila Weidenfeld Files at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library
N089
R
MRS. FORD-TREE
BY HARRY F. ROSENTHAL
WASHINGTON (AP) -- BETTY FORD SHOWED OFF HER FAMILY1E
LAST WHITE HOUSE CHRISTMAS TREE THURSDAY AND PINNED ON IT
TWO CLOTH DOVES TO SYMBOLIZE ''THE SPIRIT OF PEACE AND THE
SPIRIT OF LOVE.
THE FIRST LADY HAD WISHES OF GOOD WILL FOR PRESIDENTIELECT
CARTER AND HIS FAMILY BECAUSE, SHE SAID, 'THAT ZD QO 6 GGSTMAS
IS ALL ABOUT.
SHE SAID THAT IT WASN'T A SAD CHRISTMAS FOR PRESIDENT
FORD OR THEIR FAMILY.
WE ARE VERY HAPPY. THE CHILDREN AND I ARE HAPPY TO HAVE
THE PRESIDENT BACK AS A MEMBER OF THE FAMILY, T B. FORD
SAID AS SHE SHOWED REPORTERS THE BICENTENNIAL CHRISTMAS TREE
IN THE BLUE ROOM ON THE GROUND FLOOR OF THE WHITE HOUSE.
"I LOVE THE WHITE HOUSE, SHE SAID. "TR BON T THINK
ANY FIRST LADY CAN LIVE HERE WITHOUT LEARNING TO LOVE AND
REVERE THE WHITE HOUSE. IT'S A SPECIAL HOUSE, W OOUSE THAT
BELONGS TO ALL THE PEOPLE."
SHE WAS ASKED IF SHE HAD A CHRISTMAS WISH.,
''YES, I DO,'' SHE SAID QUIETLY. THAT7 D 0B00 0 BB
TO PUT THE TWO WHITE DOVES ON THE TREE. TD OBOR THIS
COUNTRY AND THE WORLD IS TO REMAIN WITH LOVE AND AT PEACE.'
THE STATELY ROOMS OF THE WHITE HOUSE HAD THE FRAGRANCE
OF PINE NEEDLES AS GREENERY WAS SPREAD IN SOME FORM THROUGH
ALL THE ROOMS.
THE BANISTER OF THE STAIRWAY LEADING TO THE SECONDEZ.COR
LIVING QUARTERS WAS LACED WITH EVERGREENS TIED WITH LARGE
RED RIBBONS.
THE EAST ROOM, SCENE OF SO MANY GRAND WHITE HOUSE AFFAIRS,
HAD AN 18TH-CENTURY ITALIAN CRECHE BANKED BY GREENERY. THE
NATIVITY SCENE HAS 30 HAND-CARVED, BAROQUE FIGURES.
IN THE STATE DINNING ROOM WAS A HUGE GINGERBREAD HOUSE
MADE BY THE WHITE HOUSE CHEF.
BUT THE CENTERPIECE OF IT ALL WAS THE -0-DOOT BALSAM FIR
IN THE BLUE ROOM, DECORATED WITH MORE THAN 7500 0D1 AWDE
FLOWERS, INCLUDING THE STATE FLOWERS OF ALL #0 ZL OBB.
UNDERNEATH IT, SOME OF THE THOUSANDS OF GIFTS FROM THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE TO THE WHITE HOUSE WERE IN BOXES AND ON DISPLAY.
INCLUDED WERE DOLLS, STUFFED ANIMALS, WJGROB/ OD CARVED
BIRDS AND A MODEL OF THE ATTACK CARRIER U.IDTD ZIORRESTAL.
1209 1548PPS
BERMLD FORD LIBRARY
NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS SERVICE
WITHDRAWAL SHEET (PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARIES)
FORM OF
CORRESPONDENTS OR TITLE
DATE
RESTRICTION
DOCUMENT
Doc.
12/9/76
C
LIST OF MEMBERS OF PRESS
FILE
LOCATION
WEIDENFELD FILES. BOX 11. DAILY EVENTS FILE.
FOLDER: 12/9/76 PRESS PREVIEW OF CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS
RESTRICTION CODES
JJO
(A) Closed by Executive Order 12356 governing access to national security information.
(B) Closed by statute or by the agency which originated the document.
(C) Closed in accordance with restrictions contained in the donor's deed of gift.
10/24/76
GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION
GSA FORM 7122 (REV. 5-82)
Alexandria Council of Garden Clubs
Alexandria, Virginia
Haw aii Federation of Garden Clubs, Inc.
Kaneohe, Hawaii
Syracuse Garden Club
Manlius, New York
The Bedford Garden Club
Bedford Hills, New York
The Garden Club of New Jersey
Glen Rock, New Jersey
Milbrook Garden Club
Milbrook, New York
Washington State Federation of Garden Clubs
Tacoma, Washington
Zone XII Chairman, Garden Club of America
Hillsborough, California
Zone X - Garden Club of America
Dayton, Ohio
(Ohio, Indiana, Michigan)
Garden Club of North Carolina, Inc.
Greensboro, North Carolina
The Louisburg Garden Club
Louisburg, North Carolina
Zone XI, Garden Club of America
(Colorado, Iowa, Missouri, Minnesota,
Wisconsin and Illinois)
Florida Federation of Garden Clubs, Inc.
Boca Raton, Florida
North Country Garden Club, Inc.
The Three Harbors Garden Club
Lawrence Garden Club
New York
Zone V, Garden Club of America
Delaware and Pennsylvania
The Garden Club of Illinois, Inc.
Elmhurst, Illinois
Idaho State Federation of Garden Clubs
Lake Geneva Garden Club
Lake Geneva, Wisconsin
Rhode Island Federation of Garden Clubs
Federated Garden Clubs of Maryland, Inc.
Federated Garden Clubs of Iowa
Garden Club of Ohio, Inc.
Columbus, Ohio
Zone VII, Garden Club of America
Kentucky
Garden Club of Garrington
Garrington, Illinois
Mouston Mountain Arts & Crafts
Abingdon, Virginia
The Federated Garden Clubs of
Connecticut, Inc.
Lyme, Court
Zone XI, Garden Club of America
Illinois
Penn Hebron Garden Club
The Garden Club Federation of
Pennsylvania
Zone VII, Garden Club of America
West Virginia (Malden)
Garden Club Federation of Massachusetts, Inc.
Boston, Massachusetts
South Side Garden Club
Islip, New York
Zone IX, Garden Club of America
(Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi,
Tennessee and Texas
Zone XII, Garden Club of America
Hillsborough, California
The Garden Club of Georgia, Inc.
Dunwoody, Georgia
Pimeria Alta Garden Club
Nogales, Arizona
The Oregon State Federation of Garden Clubs, Inc.
North Carolina Garden Clubs
Greensboro, North Carolina
Federated Garden Clubs of Minnesota, Inc.
The Garden Club of Irvington-on-Hudson
Dobbs Ferry, New York
French Broad River Garden Club
Asheville, North Carolina
Zone VII of Garden Clubs of America
(North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia
and Kentucky)
Garden Club of Lawrence
Lawrence, L.I., New York
First Grade of Immaculate Conception
School, Ithaca, New York (art class)
Patrick Henry High School
Asheville, North Carolina
Phoenix House Plant Shop
(Part of Phoenix House Drug Rehabilitation Center)
New York, New York
Individuals (May represent Garden Clubs)
Miss Debbie Pearson
Mrs. Sidney Johnson
Warrenton, Virginia
Alexandria, Virginia
Mrs. Yoko Tatekawa
Mrs. Roland Szadokiercki
Arlington, Va.
Alexandria, Virginia
Mrs. Reese E. Roberts
Mrs. Walter R. Gherardi
Las Vegas, Nevada
Lakeville, Connecticut
Judy, Robin, Steven & James Deal
Peggie Lippold
Norge, Virginia
Woodbridge (Dale City), Va.
Charles Allen
Mrs. Dale Gallentine
Fort Worth, Texas
Woodbridge, Va.
Mrs. John W. Thompson
Mrs. C. F Martin
Mrs. W. H. Ragsdate
Dayton, Ohio
Virginia
Margaret Knootz
Edward Gage, Jr.
Dale Gallentine
Nashua, New Hampshire
Woodbridge, Va.
Mrs. Bayard H. Roberts
Mrs. John Martin
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Silver Spring, Virginia
Mrs. R. E. Tellopson
Louis Szekely
Boise, Idaho
Garden City, New York
Mrs. Frederick James
Alice Wansor
Kansas City, Missouri
Melville, New York
Mrs. E. Ward Russell
Henry E. Coe
Silver Spring, Maryland
Lawrence, New York
Betty Martin
Mr.L. Smith, Jr.
Williamsburg, Va.
Mrs. Donald D. Dugan
Little Rock, Arkansas
Janet Smith and Friends
Williamsburg, Virginia
Mrs. Robert T. Neal
Warrensburg, Missouri
Mrs. Charles D. Vawter
Indianapolis, Indiana
Mrs. Pat McDaniel
Fairfax, Virginia 22030
Mrs. Sid Jammer
Cleveland, Tennessee
Mrs. McNeer
Mrs. Paul Quinn
Mrs. Donald Moore
Mrs. William D. Hall
Mrs. Bain McClintock
Alexandria, Virginia
Grace Rymer
Cleveland, Tennessee
For Immediate Release
Thursday, December 9, 1976
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary to Mrs. Ford
The love that is the spirit of Christmas is the inspiration behind this
year's Christmas decorations at the White House. Mrs. Ford chose
decorations to create the feeling and mood that Christmas is love.
The emphasis in the decorations is on the natural beauty of evergreens
and berries. Throughout the Mansion, the mantles and tables are decorated
with natural arrangements of holly, juniper, cedar, boxwood, bayberry,
woods fern, spruce and pyracantha. Trees garlanded with greens, pine
cones and red velvet braid also are used throughout the White House.
Large wreaths of Noble fir adorned with red velvet ribbons hang in all
the windows on the State Floor. The fragrance of the greens contributes
to the Christmas atmosphere.
The White House Christmas tree in the Blue Room is a 20-foot Balsam Fir.
(The tree was selected by Kenneth Guenther of Black River Falls, Wisconsin.
He is this year's National Champion of the National Christmas Tree
Growers Association.)
The tree is decorated with over 2500 handmade flowers, including the
state flowers of all 50 states. Materials used include silk, felt, dried
cornhusks, bamboo, seeds, beads, shells, ribbon, metal, porcelain and
glass. Small baskets of assorted dried flowers also are hung on the
tree, which is topped by a nosegay of flowers. Tiny white lights and
baby's breath complete the trimmings.
The flowers were made by garden clubs, art classes, senior citizens
groups and schools in all the states and the District of Columbia.
Under the tree, a few of the many gifts from the American people to
the White House commemorate this Bicentennial year. Included are dolls,
stuffed animals, quilts and carved birds. Wrapped packages in shades
of blue and red complete the under-the-tree decorations.
Two porcelain doves in a cage are also in the Blue Room.
An 18th century Italian creche, banked by greenery, is on display in the
East Room. The nativity scene has 30 hand-carved Baroque figures of
the Holy Family, the Wise Men and attendants, the shepherds, angels
and animals. The creche was donated in 1967 by Mr. and Mrs. Charles
W. Engelhard Jr. of Far Hills, New Jersey.
More than 50 volunteers, primarily from the floral industry, helped
put up the decorations. Jack Bangs, chief designer of the Gazebo
of New York donated his services to coordinate the decorations. Joan
Peck, designer from New York City, supervised decoration of the
Christmas tree.
#
#
#
DERALD
SHOUL
LIBRARY
December 1976
WHITE HOUSE CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS
General
Natural arrangements of holly, juniper, cedar, boxwood, bayberry,
woods fern, spruce and pyracantha adorn the mantles and tables
throughout the State Floor.
Red candles replace white candles in the chandeliers on the State
Floor, except in the Red Room.
Wreaths unless noted otherwise are Noble fir accented with large
red velvet bows.
Garlands unless noted otherwise are Princess pine with red velvet
braid.
All the windows on the State Floor have wreaths.
North Portico
Two large Douglas Fir with tiny white lights flank the outside of
the main entrance.
On the door is a large wreath of Noble Fir with a single candle in
the center.
Grand Foyer
Two Douglas Fir trimmed with a garland stand on either side of the main
entrance.
The Grand Staircase is draped with a garland.
A painted wood antique Santa Claus stands on the landing overlooking
the Cross Hall.
A small boxwood tree sits on the pine table on the lower landing of
the Staircase.
The urns on the pier table on the west side of the foyer will be filled
with the natural arrangement of greens and berries.
A garland will be draped across the arch between the foyer and the cross
hall.
Cross Hall
Two Yew trees with garlands stand in the niches of the South wall.
A wreath of Noble Fir, Silver Fir, incense cedar and pine surrounds the
Presidential Seal over the door to the Blue Room.
a
State Dinino Room
GERATO
FORD
LIBRARY
The sconces and chandliers are garlanded.
On the table along the North Wall is an edible gingerbread house made
by Hans Raffert.
On the dining table, the centerpiece and matching eipurns also will be
filled with greens and berries.
Christmas 1976
Page Two
Red Room
A cranberry tree is on the console table.
Blue Room
The Christmas tree decorated with hand-made flowers and lights
stands in the center of the room surrounded by Bicentennial gifts
to the White House from the American people.
The East Room
A wreath of Noble Fir, Douglas Fir, incense pine and cedar surrounds
the Eagle plaque over the main door.
A garland of white pine leads from the wreath all around the crown
moulding of the room.
Greenery, including blue spruce, Douglas Fir, holly, Scotch pine,
and Yew, bank the creche. A juniper hedge is in front of the creche.
Diplomatic Floor
The rooms of the Diplomatic Floor also are decorated with wreaths
and natural arrangements.
In the China Room, a pair of holly trees flank the fireplace.
In the Diplomatic Reception Room, two small yew trees stand in the
small foyer.
In the Lower Hall, two yew trees with garlands stand on either side of
the door to the Curator's Office.
Also in the Lower Hall, all four tables will have arrangements of red
poinsettias and ivy.
Large natural arrangements decorate the tables flanking the door
to the West Wing.
Two large Douglas Fir stand on either side of the main entrance. These
trees have tiny white lights.
Balconies
The Truman Balcony has a wreath of Douglas Fir and a garland of White
pine with fruit.
A similar garland adorns the railing leading to the State Floor balcony.
BENKLO
FORM
LIBRARY