Page 7 - Christmas at the Nixon Library

From Pat Nixon: The Untold Story

By Julie Nixon Eisenhower

“That Christmas the White House was open for my mother’s

‘candlelight tours.’ Because she wanted as many as possible to see

the White House in all its Christmas glory and realized few working

people could take advantage of the daytime tours, Mother arranged

for the house to be open several nights during Christmas week. Fires

burned in the Red, Green, and Blue rooms, and the chandeliers and

wall sconces were turned so low they appeared to be candles.

Rotating ensembles from the Army, Navy, and Air Force played

Christmas carols in the Grand Foyer. The atmosphere was magical.

Some visitors stopped to sing carols, others even danced around the

foyer before they exited down the North Portico steps. The

candlelight tours were held every Christmas thereafter.”