White House 2023 Christmas Ornament honors President Gerald R. Ford

First Lady Betty Ford and her daughter, Susan, made Christmas decorations together at the White House. (Photo courtesy of the White House Historical Association)

On Tuesday, the White House Historical Association unveiled its Official 2023 White House Christmas Ornament honoring the 38th president of the United States, Gerald R. Ford.

Each year for President’s Day, the association releases a custom ornament honoring a former president. A team of up to 20 people works on planning and designing the American-made ornaments throughout the year.

“The ornaments serve as a wonderful teaching tool designed to tell the story of the White House during a specific presidency or anniversary,” said Stewart McLaurin, president of the White House Historical Association. “Through these collectibles, we’ve been able to further our mission to protect, preserve, and provide public access to the rich history of America’s Executive Mansion.”

The 2023 ornament, a three-dimensional wreath, features symbols on the front inspired by the First Lady Betty Ford’s White House decorations that could be recreated on Christmas trees at home, Matthew Costello, senior historian at the White House Historical Association, said.

The 2023 White House Christmas ornament is in its gift box. (Photo courtesy of the White House Historical Association)

The reverse side of the 2023 White House Christmas ornament, with symbols honoring Gerald R. Ford. (Photo courtesy of the White House Historical Association)

“One thing that Betty Ford did, and it was reflective of the times, was this old-fashioned, handcrafted Christmas,” Costello said. “This was a feature amongst their Christmas decorations every year that they were at the White House.”

The front of the wreath is adorned with tiny decorations, including dolls, doves, stars, candles, gingerbread men, and red ribbons with “Christmas 2023” and “The White House.”

On the back of the ornament are a series of emblems relating to the life and presidency of Ford and a gold plaque featuring the North Portico of the White House.

A member of the House since 1949, Ford was nominated as vice president by Richard Nixon in 1973 after the resignation of the previous vice president, Spiro Agnew. Ford assumed the presidency ten months later when Nixon resigned over the Watergate scandal. Ford was the only president to have never been elected to the office of vice president or president.

Ford is also the only president to become an Eagle Scout, the highest achievable rank in the Boy Scouts of America, an accomplishment that is referenced in the “Troop 15” emblem on the White House ornament.

“Gerald Ford was either one of our most, or our most, athletic presidents,” Costello said. “He played collegiate football at the University of Michigan and was offered contracts to play professionally, but he decided not to and went to law school instead, which was probably a good decision.”

A football with Ford’s jersey number 48 is featured at the top of the ornament’s wreath alongside a line portrait of Liberty, the Ford family’s famous golden retriever, who had a litter of puppies in the White House.

The ornament also features a bicentennial pin commemorating the Ford family’s celebration of the 200-year anniversary of America’s founding and an emblem for the U.S.S. Gerald R Ford, a first-in-class aircraft carrier commissioned to honor the president’s service in the Navy.

“All of these different element emblems tell us a part of the story of who Gerald Ford was and, you know, what he did earlier in his life, and what took place when he was president of the United States,” Costello said.

Costello said proceeds from the ornaments fund the White House Historical Association’s educational work, including a teacher institute and resources, public programming, a web series called “White House History Live,” and research initiatives.

The association is a private, nonprofit organization founded in 1961 by First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy.

The popular Christmas ornaments date to 1981. That first ornament depicted a flying angel. The next year, the ornament honored George Washington; subsequent ornaments have honored each president in order.

By DESTINY HERBERS
Capital News Service