Think Melania's red forest is kooky? Consider the Christmas tree once hidden in a White House closet

[FSogol]

White House Christmas trees fell out of favor around the turn of the 20th century. Conservationists denounced cutting down young trees in forests to make Christmas trees, calling it “arboreal infanticide.” Some critics wrote President William McKinley in 1899 urging him to drop the White House “Christmas tree habit.” McKinley did, except for a small tree in the kitchen for the maids.

The policy continued when President Theodore Roosevelt took office in 1901 after McKinley was assassinated. An ardent conservationist, Roosevelt banned cut Christmas trees in the White House. But even Teddy had to laugh when in 1902 his young son Archie secretly set up a small Christmas tree in a White House closet.

Much more WH history and a video from Washington Post's Ronald G. Shafer at:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/history/2018/11/27/think-melanias-red-forest-is-kooky-consider-christmas-tree-once-hidden-white-house-closet/?utm_term=.7647440916ae&wpisrc=nl_buzz&wpmm=1

[eleny]

1. I couldn't access the Wash Post story but Atlas Obscura covered it a few years ago

Here's the link to their site for the cute story.
https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/for-teddy-roosevelts-son-rebelling-meant-sneaking-christmas-trees-into-the-white-house

[FSogol]

2. Thanks for that link. N/t

[Raine]

3. Thanks for that link, it's

so interesting!