The White House Staff Christmas Party (1967)

White House Christmas Party (1967)
The Blue Room at the White House  Christmas Party (1967)
Type Of Activity	Staff  Event
Location
Location	The White House Washington DC
Date of Activity	December 1967

December 1967 The Staff Christmas Party

The President and Mrs. Johnson always had the annual Christmas Party at the White House for the Support Staff.. If you attended you could pick up your Christmas Card from the President and Mrs Johnson, and if you couldn't attend the card would be sent to you.  

In 1966 the Christmas Card was not received by any of the WHCA personnel at Camp David, even after we discovered that all of Navy personnel had received theirs. If you could not attend The Staff Party your card was usually mailed to you within a couple of weeks of the event. It seemed like all requests about their whereabouts fell on death ears. One of the WHCA spouses decided to take action, and she wrote a very polite letter to Lady Byrd Johnson asking why we hadn't received our cards. We all know what rolls down hill and it did in this case, it was no time until Mr. Fontaine was making a list and checking it twice. I took about another week and everyone at Camp David had their cards. So in 1967, I decided to go to the Christmas party and pick the card up myself and bring it home.  I went with Al Jensen the Navy Seabee working at Cannonball Tower with me. 

I was only able to attend one party primarily because of driving distance from Mercersburg PA. and weather conditions..

The Marine Corp Orchestra

When we entered the White House we were greeted by the Marine Corp Orchestra I stopped and listened to them before entering the Blue Room and viewing the Christmas tree.  There was plenty of refreshments served and after we were there for about an hour when the Johnsons came in to greet all of us and announce the evening’s entertainment.   

 

The President and Mrs. Johnson in the Blue Room

The entertainment for the evening was bandleader Skitch Henderson of the Tonight Show with Jonny Carson.  The show was very entertaining and Skitch played many holiday songs getting all of the guests into a holiday spirit. 

Bandleader Skitch Henderson

After the show the Johnsons retired to their private living quarters and the party continued for a couple more hours.

 

As the guests left they were given their Christmas card to take with them. I ended up with five Johnson Christmas cards and five Nixon Christmas cards all framed and displayed proudly.

LBJ’s Staff Christmas Cards

1964 Staff Christmas Card

1965 Staff Christmas Card

1966 Staff Christmas Card

1967 Staff Christmas Card

1968 Staff Christmas Card