Christmas at Bulloch Hall with US Presidents - Part 2

This is a continuation of my post of December 13, 2012.  I read in a couple of comments that some felt strange to see the US flag with Christmas ornaments.  The theme for the decoration of Bulloch Hall this year being about the White House, I can understand that it would have to be patriotic.  In addition, the USA is one of the few countries whose flag is like an icon.  There is a flag on my neighbor's house and a flag on a tall poll on my neighbor across the street.  They keep them up all year.  During our last trip to Europe I noticed very few flags and while in Ukraine had a hard time finding one to photograph. The USA is also the only country (apart from the Philippines) where children pledge allegiance to the flag in schools. (Please click twice on the collages - the pictures look so much better when they are enlarged)

We continued our visit and entered the room where President Abraham Lincoln (16th President 1861-1865) was standing with his wife First Lady Mary.  The information panel stated that these were full life-size figures.  Certainly President Lincoln was tall - 6 ft 4 (1m93) and his wife looked diminutive next to him at 5 ft (1m52.)

President Lincoln was the 16th president but not of all the US states.  For example, he never was recognized as the US president by the state of Georgia.  Georgia seceded from the Union on January 19, 1861 before President Lincoln's inauguration on March 4th, 1861.  President Lincoln died on April 15, 1865.  The state of Georgia was the last Confederate State to return to the union, after reconstruction, in 1870.  Please click on the collage below to read the information panel on President Lincoln and decorations in the room.

We moved to the room showing President James Madison (4th US President 1809-1817) near First Lady Dolley Madison. 

Dolley Madison entertained with splendid tables containing magnificent platters of meats and fowls, cakes, fruits and bottles of spirit. When in August 1814 British soldiers burned the President's House, Dolley Madison rescued important documents and the painting of George Washington from the burning house.

Also in the Morning Room was a panel on President Thomas Jefferson (3rd US President - 1801-1809.)  There was no portrait of President Jefferson, just his image on the 2 dollar US bill.  Jefferson is credited as author of the Declaration of Independence and was responsible for the Bill of Rights.  President Jefferson was also an accomplished violin player.

As we walked back into the upstairs hall, I stopped to look at a Christmas tree decorated with White House ornaments.

 

Some of the ornaments show the White House and several US presidents.

 The Back Hall had a little exhibit on the White House pets.

Many pets have called the White House home.  The Marquis de Lafayette gave President John Quincy Adams (6th President - 1825-1829) a pet alligator and it lived in the East room bathtub.  Other pets along the years included horses, guinea pigs, birds, cats, dogs, a pigmy hippo, a bobcat, a cow, etc.  

Walking back downstairs we entered the Pantry and were greeted by President Jimmy Carter (39th President - 1977-1981) and First Lady Roselyn Carter.  

I walked behind President Carter to look at the items in the cupboard.  They contained photographs of the president and his family and books that he wrote.

The star on top of the Christmas tree was made by Jimmy Carter and his brother and sisters when they were children. 

Entering the Master Bedroom we saw President Andrew Jackson (7th President - 1829-1837) and many children.  

 

Click on the picture above to read the information panel.  President Jackson was a widower but loved to give lavish parties where children would be invited.  They could play in many rooms and had fights with snowballs made out of cotton.

President Jackson's parents had emigrated from Ireland.  He was a tough ex-military officer.  His large plantation called The Hermitage is located near Nashville in Tennessee.  I was going to visit it when we saw our daughter last time, but I do not think they allow photos to be taken inside the house.

 As we entered the Library we could hear a bear playing a spirited ragtime on the piano.  President Theodore Roosevelt (26th President - 1901-1909) and First Lady Edith loved dancing.

Mittie Bulloch lived in Bulloch Hall as a small child and was married to Theodore's father in the dining room on December 22, 1853.  Every December Bulloch Hall has a re-enactment of the ceremony with members of the wedding in period costumes.

There were many teddy bears in the room.  The Teddy Bear was named after Theodore Roosevelt when, during a hunting trip, he refused to shoot a small bear.

As we were getting to the end of our tour of Bulloch Hall, my husband looked at the old trees from one of the windows and decided to take a look at the garden.

I followed him outside but while on the front porch I saw a little rose near one of the Doric column - and had to stop to smell the rose...

There were several roses in the garden actually and even a palm tree.

As we left Bulloch Hall we remarked that we had thoroughly enjoyed the tour.  In what theme will Bulloch Hall be decorated next year?  We'll have to wait until then.

And so we left lovely Bulloch Hall, the old trees and roses.  When we returned home later that day the sun, which had appeared in the afternoon, was making an extraordinary red glow in our woods - everything looked red.  (I did not enhance the colors.)

 But it did not last long.

 

It was quite pretty but I would have rather returned to a house in the snow... as shown in the vintage postcard below.

This scene would be more typical for Christmas.  December has many celebrations and so I wish you a Happy Chanukah, a Joyous Yule, Happy Kwanzaa Days, Joyous Pancha Ganapati, Happy solstice and a Merry Christmas.