How the White House celebrates Christmas

By Hillary Rodham Clinton

I'm writing this column on Christmas Eve, in the little room on the second floor that I use for my study. It's where Eleanor Roosevelt and Bess Truman slept and where Jackie Kennedy wrote letters.

The official part of Christmas at the White House, with daily receptions, tours and parties, is over. Now Bill (Clinton), Chelsea and I are rushing madly about trying to finish our own preparations. Most of our family is with us, and this year, for the first time, both our nephews, Tyler and Zachary, are old enough to understand (sort of) and react to the decorations, presents and excitement. Earlier this week, the boys discovered a present from a friend of mine -- a stuffed frog that croaks "Jingle Bells" when you squeeze its foot -- and have already spent hours squeezing and laughing.

We celebrate privately on the second and third floors of the White House. Our own 17-foot tree goes up in the Yellow Oval Room, right above the official tree that stands in the Blue Room downstairs. Over the years, we have collected boxes and boxes of ornaments. We try to find a special spot for each one, which is one of the reasons we're grateful for a room that can hold a big enough tree.

White House elves put our tree up a few days ago and strung it with lights to help us get started. As we decorated the tree to the sounds of our favorite carols, Bill, Chelsea and I -- with a little help from friends and family who dropped by -- reminisced about the ornaments and past Christmases. As usual, I was the first to collapse from exhaustion and retreat to an observer's position on the couch. Then Chelsea followed me to bed, leaving the President of the United States to hum and putter for a few more hours. Anyone who knows my husband marvels at his extraordinary energy, but he surpasses even his usual levels during the few days leading up to Christmas. He loves everything about the season, especially the rituals our family follows. And one of those rituals is that he will finish the tree!

Another ritual for Bill is a last-minute shopping trip to the mall. I have noticed over the years that many men of my acquaintance become frantic mallstalkers as they hunt for Christmas gifts. I worked in stores a few Christmas seasons as a teen-ager, and I always loved to see men charge in on Christmas Eve with that crazed look that told me they would definitely buy something in our store -- whether or not they needed it for anyone on their list. I'm sure my husband gives the same joy to sales clerks today.

This afternoon, we will take the family to see Chelsea perform in the "Nutcracker." We have done this every year since she was three. Earlier this month, I took some friends and their 3-year- old twins to watch a dress rehearsal. The little boy loved the battle between the mice and toy soldiers. The little girl was enchanted as she stood on her toes in front of her seat and twirled along with the ballerinas on stage. I had tears in my eyes as I watched them, remembering the first time I took Chelsea and how the ballet had captured her imagination.

This year, Chelsea has an added experience for the holidays -- finishing her college applications, which are due in early January. So, between tree-decorating and pirouetting, she has been at the computer, trying to write essays that explain -- in 500 words -- who she is. Like every mother, I want to write my own essay about how wonderful my daughter is, but I know that this process is another stage of her growing up -- and away. It's a passage she has to take herself. Bill and I are still trying to persuade her to stay in Washington and take correspondence courses.

And tonight, our extended family will have dinner at the home of our dear friends, Ann and Vernon Jordan. Their house will be filled with their children and grandchildren, and all the adults will take turns reading stories, singing carols and soothing toddlers impatient for the arrival of Santa Claus. After dinner, Bill, Chelsea and I will attend Christmas Eve services at the National Cathedral, one of our favorite places in Washington. The majesty of the setting and the familiarity of the hymns and words remind us of what this time is all about. When we finally arrive back at the White House around midnight, we'll finish wrapping our gifts and stuffing the stockings. We will also pause to count our blessings before we fall into bed for a few hours' sleep before waking up to the joy of another Christmas in the White House.

-- Creators Syndicate