The Guild 12-07-2002 Past White House Christmas Cards

The White House ^

[BigWaveBetty]

Written on White House stationary in his own hand in 1927, President Calvin Coolidge issued the first official Christmas message to the American people. As a response to numerous requests for the President to send a holiday greeting, President Coolidge asked newspapers across the United States to publish his holiday greeting to the American people. Although he didn't speak, he participated in the first ceremonial tree lighting for the event now known as the Pageant of Peace.

President Eisenhower expanded the list of Presidential Christmas cards recipients significantly in 1953; the President sent season’s greetings to American ambassadors abroad, members of the Cabinet and Congress, foreign heads of state and government officials. Thereafter, the official Presidential Holiday Greeting was the White House Christmas card.

Artist Adrian Martinez of Downingtown, Pennsylvania, designed the 2001 holiday card which features the Second Floor Corridor of the White House with Mary Cassatt's 1908 painting, Young Mother and Two Children. Mrs. Bush selected the Psalm for the card on September 16. At Camp David, the chaplain based his sermon on the Psalm, which was outlined in the lectionary for that September Sunday.

2001 White House Tree

The President and Mrs. Bush stand next to the 2001 tree, an 18-foot Concolor fir that was grown in the mountains of Central Pennsylvania. For ornaments, artists from all 50 states and the District of Columbia designed miniature replicas of historic houses from their regions.

See the past cards from The White House from Hoover to to Bush 41.

[lodwick]

I can only imagine how tough it must be for you and Mr.BigWave for your family to be this far apart physically - thank goodness for algore's wonderful internet and telephone.

[lodwick]

Have a safe trip - let the rulers know how the heartland feels about things. Get out of our lives!

[mountaineer]

You're probably already en route, but I'll add my wishes for a safe and rewarding trip.

[mountaineer]

RIDERS in the first-class section of an Amtrak express from New York to Washington Wednesday night did a double take when they overheard newly appointed 9/11 inquisitor Henry Kissinger muttering into his cell phone that "of all of them, I like Kennedy the best." Quizzical looks ricocheted through the car. Was the former secretary of state under Richard Nixon referring to veteran Massachusetts Sen. Ted Kennedy, a lifelong liberal? Turns out Kissinger was talking about airports. Page Six

I can think of some fervent Bush haters who won't believe this innocent explanation, and take it as proof positive that the 9/11 investigation is a Bildeberger/Illumnati/Masonic plot or something equally nefarious.

[Carolina]

Hey, y'all! I've missing in action for awhile and have missed the Guild terribly. Real life interfered in a big way.

Here's my first day back freeping and what do I encounter??? A big flap over the White House Christmas cards!!!!

Sigh! Some people just mean to be unhappy at everything.

[Carolina]

I've missing in action...

That's I've been missing in action...Okay, need more coffee.

[mountaineer]

Those people with their knickers in a twist over the White House Christmas card seem to have really empty lives, if something like a painting of a piano sets them off.

Last night, x42 spoke at a temple in Newton, Mass. His speech was even more incoherent than usual. I've posted the newspaper story here.

Oh look, a useful idiot:

[Carolina]

Oh, yes. The Nobel Prize. I hear the Prize for Chemistry is being disputed as going to an undeserving man--a Japanese, instead of to a German. Ach! Ze inhumanity.

[mountaineer]

Maybe those who are irate over the Christmas card's lack of an overt evangelistic message should stop being keyboard commandos for a bit and hit the streets spreading the Good News. Or maybe they aren't aware of this:

"It will surprise many Americans that Islam is the world's and America's fastest-growing religion. It continues to grow at a rate faster than that of the world's population. If current trends continue it will have more adherents by the year 2023 than any other."
—the Carnegie Corporation Report of the President, Vartan Gregorian WashTimes

[Carolina]

...keyboard commandos...

ROFL!!!

[Miss Marple]

Thank you for taking the time to post those other cards. What a bunch of sour people there are! Talk about Scrooges!

I got a card, and I was thrilled. It never occurred to me to be offended, or to say that President Bush was DENYING CHRIST!! (For those who haven't been on that thread, I am not making it up!)

I swear there are people on this board who hate President Bush so much they would be happy to see Hillary elected, just to teach us a lesson.

Grrrr.

[Carolina]

It was my pleasure. If they had taken the time to research, they would have seen that President Bush hasn't defied some written in stone rule, but in fact, has broken new ground.

Here's a wonderful site: Advent Calendar. Day 6 has building your own snowflake.

[Miss Marple]

RedBloodedAmerican has modified the card to appease the whiners.

To see it, go

HERE

[lodwick]

Blowing coffee through my nose thanks for the link Jane!

[pubmom]

Somehow I got the impression that those who were complaining the loudest would turn off anyone they were trying to convert. I think they need to expend their energy over real problems, not imagined slights from a Christmas card.

[mountaineer]

I doubt they expend any energy at all on anything but complaining.

[Endeavor]

What's the card controversy about? (...last to know ;>)

[lodwick]

I think the anti-Bushbots are upset that the card didn't contain the word Christmas or Christ or go into the plan of salvation. Do be sure and click MissMarple's link.

[mountaineer]

Some people are complaining mightily that the White House greeting card this year is not overtly "Christian" enough, apparently because it had an Old Testament verse and didn't try to convert everyone to whom it was sent. There was a whole thread on it, full of whining and gnashing of teeth.

[Hillary's Lovely Legs]

There is more to just the " White House Christmas Card doesn't have Christ". Some think that he should have sent the appropriate holiday card to those of different religions.

So how in the world is the White House supposed to know who is Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Buhhist, Atheist.

Some people just need something to complain about.

Merry Christmas.