1801-1932 White House New Years Day Receptions

 
Engraving of the White House by William Strickland

The White House Historical Association tells us that "the White House New Year's reception was a tradition for more than 130 years...

President John Adams began the tradition in 1801, opening the doors of the Executive Mansion to high-ranking officials, diplomats, and the public. This tradition spanned more than a century and was only canceled a few times due to wars, illness, or the president’s busy schedule. This was one of the most talked about events in the nation’s capital." 

By the early twentieth century, crowds swelled to more than 6,000 people. A line on the sidewalk outside the White House snaked out beyond the gates and around the block, bordering what is now known as the Eisenhower Executive Office Building." 

President Herbert Hoover held the last New Year's Day reception in 1932. Although the major event concluded that year, it is said that a man named J.W. Hunefeld waited at the gates of the White House in 1934 because "he wanted to make sure the president hadn't changed his mind."

White House Evolving During the administrations of John Adams & Thomas Jefferson  

Library of Congress

On October 13, 1792, George Washington laid the first cornerstone of the building in a freemason ceremony. Scottish masons were brought to Washington to do the stone work. 

Their technique for sealing the porous sandstone was a thick whitewash that covered like paint but sealed like glue. So, from its earliest days, the president’s house was white, and it quickly got the nickname “White House.”

When John Adams moved into the President’s House on November 1, 1800, it was far from complete. He used the second floor as his residence and the ground floor was used by servants as kitchens, laundry, and housekeeping rooms. 

Today’s Diplomatic Reception Room was originally the housekeeper’s room, with built-in cabinets. 

The Adams’s began furnishing the house in a fairly grand style, although Abigail Adams used the great Public Audience Chamber for hanging laundry. See: https://bestinamericanliving.com/2016/07/history-of-the-white-house-1792-1814/#

1515 The Adoration of the Shepherds

Attributed to Gerard David (Flemish painter, 1460-1523) In this Panel from The Nativity, simple shepherds brought to the birth by angels gather outside the window, while other panels show Saints Jerome & Leonard & Donors. 1515

In early Christianity, wheat was often used as a symbol for Christ, based on John 6:41, in which Jesus identifies himself as “the bread come down from heaven.” In this painting, wheat is in the foreground & serves as a bed for the newborn Baby.

1590 The Adoration of the Shepherds

1590 Gerrit van Honthorst (Dutch painter, 1590–1656) Adoration of the Shepherds

There were shepherds in the same country staying in the field, and keeping watch by night over their flock. Behold, an angel of the Lord stood by them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. The angel said to them, "Don't be afraid, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be to all the people. For there is born to you, this day, in the city of David, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. This is the sign to you: you will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth, lying in a manger." Suddenly, there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly army praising God, and saying,

"Glory to God in the highest, 

on earth peace, good will toward men." 

It happened, when the angels went away from them into the sky, that the shepherds said one to another, "Let's go to Bethlehem, now, and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us." They came with haste, and found both Mary and Joseph, and the baby was lying in a manger. When they saw it, they publicized widely the saying which was spoken to them about this child. All who heard it wondered at the things which were spoken to them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these sayings, pondering them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, just as it was told them.  Luke 2:8-20

Happy New Year - Old Long Syne 1570

 

Alonso Sánchez Coello  (1531–1588)  King Philip II of Spain Banqueting with his Family & Courtiers 1579

Tudor Treasures & Medieval Musings tells us "that many people around the world will have sung Auld Lang Syne to farewell the old year and welcome the new. The version familiar to most of us was written by Robert Burns in 1788. However, Burns himself acknowledged that his poem was based upon much older folk verses.

Although the phrase 'auld lang syne' or 'old long syne' dates back even further, one of the earliest versions that remains somewhat familiar was written by one Robert Ayton, a Scottish poet who was born in c.1570.

Historian Kenneth Elliot discovered source material for the tune that would have accompanied Ayton's lyrics, a transcription included below."

Old Long Syne  1570

                 First Part.

Should old Acquaintance be forgot, 

 And never thought upon, 

The Flames of Love extinguished, 

  And freely past and gone? 

Is thy kind Heart now grown so cold 

  In that Loving Breast of thine, 

That thou canst never once reflect 

  On Old-long-syne?

Where are thy Protestations, 

  Thy Vows and Oaths, my Dear, 

Thou made to me, and I to thee, 

 In Register yet clear? 

Is Faith and Truth so violate 

 To the Immortal Gods Divine, 

That thou canst never once reflect 

  On Old-long-syne?

Is’t Cupid’s Fears, or frosty Cares, 

  That makes thy Sp’rits decay? 

Or is’t some Object of more Worth, 

  That’s stoll’n thy Heart away? 

Or some Desert, makes thee neglect 

  Him, so much once was thine, 

That thou canst never once reflect 

  On Old-long-syne?

Is’t Worldly Cares so desperate, 

  That makes thee to despair? 

Is’t that makes thee exasperate, 

  And makes thee to forbear? 

If thou of that were free as I, 

  Thou surely should be Mine: 

If this were true, we should renew 

  Kind Old-long-syne.

But since that nothing can prevail, 

  And all Hope is in vain, 

 From these rejected Eyes of mine 

  Still Showers of Tears shall rain: 

 And though thou hast me now forgot, 

 Yet I’ll continue Thine, 

And ne’er forget for to reflect 

  On Old-long-syne.

If e’er I have a House, my Dear, 

 That truly is call’d mine, 

And can afford but Country Cheer, 

 Or ought that’s good therein; 

Tho’ thou were Rebel to the King, 

 And beat with Wind and Rain, 

Assure thy self of Welcome Love, 

 For Old-long-syne.

                 Second Part.

My Soul is ravish’d with Delight 

 When you I think upon; 

All Griefs and Sorrows take the Flight, 

 And hastily are gone; 

The fair Resemblance of your Face 

 So fills this Breast of mine, 

No Fate nor Force can it displace, 

  For Old-long-syne.

Since Thoughts of you doth banish Grief, 

 When I’m from you removed; 

And if in them I find Relief, 

 When with sad Cares I’m moved, 

How doth your Presence me affect 

 With Ecstacies Divine, 

Especially when I reflect 

 On Old-long-syne.

Since thou has rob’d me of my Heart 

 By those resistless Powers, 

Which Madam Nature doth impart 

 To those fair Eyes of yours; 

With Honour it doth not consist 

 To hold a Slave in Pyne, 

Pray let your Rigour then desist, 

 For Old-long-syne.

’Tis not my Freedom I do crave 

  By deprecating Pains; 

Sure Liberty he would not have 

 Who glories in his Chains: 

But this I wish, the Gods would move 

 That Noble Soul of thine 

To Pity, since thou cannot love 

 For Old-long-syne.

1500s The Adoration of the Shepherds

Jacob de Backer (Belgian artist, 1555-1585) Adoration of the Shepherds

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, & the glory of the Lord shone round about them: & they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, & saying, Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, good will toward men. Luke 2:8-14 King James Version of The Bible.

1500s The Adoration of the Shepherds

Paolo Veronese (Paolo Caliari) ((Italian, 1528-1588) Adoration of the Shepherds

The angel said to them, "Don't be afraid, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be to all the people. For there is born to you, this day, in the city of David, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. This is the sign to you: you will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth, lying in a manger."  Luke 2:8-20

When Jesus is Born, Angels Tell the Local Shepherds 1st

 

Illuminated Manuscript Annunciation to the Shepherds who are making music while the dog howls and the woman works with the wool. Sheep and their tenders are in an enclosure.

One of my favorite Christmas stories is the immediate announcement to the common shepherds, in fields near Bethlehem, of the birth of the Baby Christ Child.  That annunciation emphasized the symbolism of Jesus' birth.  Whom did the angels tell first? The community's outcasts, including some women working with the wool, who lived in the countryside year-round with dogs & sheep. And Mary immediately welcomed them to visit her New-Born Baby. Only later did the important; wealthy nobles from the East arrive. The common man came first, & these lovely little hand-drawn manuscript illustrations imagine the stunned herders hearing The Good News.

The annunciation to the shepherds in the Christian Bible, is in verses 8–20 of the 2nd chapter of the Gospel of Luke. Shepherds are portrayed tending their flocks out in the countryside near Bethlehem, when they are terrified by the appearance of an angel. The angel explains that it is a message of good news for all people, "Today in the town of David, a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths & lying in a manger."

After this, a great many more angels often appear, praising God with the words "Glory to God in the highest heaven, & on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests." Deciding to do as the angel had said, the shepherds travel to near-by Bethlehem, & find Mary & Joseph with the infant Jesus lying in the manger, just as they had been told. The adoration of the shepherds follows.

It is generally considered significant that this message was 1st given to shepherds, who were located on the lower rungs of the social ladder. 

The annunciation to the shepherds appeared as a subject for art in the 9th century, & it became less common as an independent subject in art from the late Middle Ages, but depictions continued in later centuries. 

In Renaissance art, drawing on classical stories of Orpheus, the shepherds are sometimes depicted with musical instruments. Actually, many Christmas carols mention the annunciation to the shepherds, with the Gloria in Excelsis Deo being the most ancient. 

Phillips Brooks'(1835-1893) "O Little Town of Bethlehem" (1867) has the lines "O morning stars together, proclaim the holy birth, / And praises sing to God the King, & peace to men on earth!" The originally German carol "Silent Night" has "Shepherds quake at the sight; / Glories stream from heaven afar, / Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia!" 

Charles Wesley's (1707-1788) "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" (1739) begins:

Hark! The herald angels sing,

"Glory to the newborn King;

Peace on earth, & mercy mild,

God & sinners reconciled!"

Joyful, all ye nations rise,

Join the triumph of the skies;

With th'angelic host proclaim,

"Christ is born in Bethlehem!"

Anglo-Irish poet & lyricist, Nahum Tate's (1652-1715) carol "While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks" (1700) is entirely devoted to describing the annunciation to the shepherds, & the episode is also significant in "The First Nowell", "Angels We Have Heard on High," & several others.

The carol "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day", written by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882) during the American Civil War, reflects on the phrase "Peace on earth, good will to men" in a pacifist sense, as does "It Came Upon the Midnight Clear."

The phrase "Peace on earth, good will to men" has been widely used in a variety of contexts. For example, Samuel Morse's (1791-1873) farewell message in 1871 read "Greetings & thanks to the telegraph fraternity throughout the world. Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace, good will to men. – S. F. B. Morse."

More recently, Linus recites the scene verbatim at the climax of Charles M Schultz (1922-2000) A Charlie Brown Christmas, explaining that "that's what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown." imagine the stunned herders hearing the news.