Teddy Roosevelt's son snuck the family's first Christmas tree into the White House.

Famous Figures

I n 1901, early on in Theodore Roosevelt's presidency, putting a Christmas tree in the home was still a relatively new trend in the United States — Benjamin Harrison was the first President to put up a tree in the White House only 12 years before, in 1889. Roosevelt had no such plans, but his wishes were thwarted when his 8-year-old son Archie secretly "rigged up" a tree in a large closet with the help of one of the White House carpenters. Archie adorned the tree with lights and presents for his family (and pets), thus beginning a new Roosevelt family tradition.

According to a common myth, President Roosevelt had gone so far as to ban Christmas trees in the White House because he was a staunch conservationist. Some reports at the time claimed Roosevelt was so dedicated to preserving America's forests, he saw cutting down trees for the holidays as a contributor to deforestation. In 1901, The Baltimore Sun reported what is likely the actual reason that President Roosevelt and his family would not have a Christmas tree: because they'd never had one before. This isn't altogether surprising: The Christmas tree was a German tradition that was popularized by Queen Victoria and her German husband Prince Albert in 1848. By the early 20th century, the holiday tradition was on the rise, but trimming a tree wasn't yet a given in the United States.

Thank you for supporting our advertisers!

By the Numbers

Value of Christmas ornaments sold by F.W. Woolworth in 1890

$25 million

Age of Theodore Roosevelt when he became President, the youngest in history

Did you know?

Conservationists hoped to replace live Christmas trees with tree-shaped wires.

In 1899, with the Christmas tree trend picking up steam, conservationists pushed President William McKinley to promote artificial trees in lieu of their living counterparts. They proposed substitute trees made of wire, arguing that children could grow up using the same trees for years instead of "stripping" forests for what the Hartford Courant described as an "absurd fad." That, and wire trees were also fireproof — a definite plus considering the candles traditionally placed on branches were proving to be a considerable fire hazard.

Thank you for supporting our advertisers!