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President Roosevelt sends a recent photograph of himself and asks Dora Watkins what she would like for Christmas. He often tells his children about Watkins and wishes that she could see Ted Roosevelt.
1904-11-29
The Roosevelts spent Christmas in Rome and there were many presents. They ascended Mount Vesuvius and Roosevelt stuck an alpine stick into a small crater which caught the stick on fire. The route down from Vesuvius was very rough.
1870-01-06
Theodore Roosevelt was sorry to hear that Quentin Roosevelt contracted pneumonia and had a melancholy Christmas. At Sagamore Hill, the holiday was enlightened by Richard Derby, Jr., and Edith Roosevelt Derby. Roosevelt is indignant that Theodore “Ted” Roosevelt and Archibald “Archie” B. Roosevelt have suggested that Quentin is an embusque, a person seeking to avoid military service. He doubts that they were being serious and notes several positive statements that have appeared in print from men who had served with Quentin. Roosevelt encourages Quentin to write steadily to his mother and Flora Whitney. He continues to do nothing, occasionally writing or speaking as poor substitutes for action. Roosevelt hopes that his work will help remedy some of the army’s shortcomings and speed up the war.
1918-01-18
Lawrence F. Abbott admires Ethel Roosevelt Derby as her own private secretary. Theodore Roosevelt would like to give Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt a pair of large, fur gloves for Christmas. He asks Ethel to find the gloves for him.
1914-1918
President Roosevelt details a pleasant, busy Christmas Day spent with many family members and friends.
1907-12-25
Theodore Roosevelt stands at an open window, greeting a group of men singing Christmas carols. The carolers are John D. Rockefeller, Joseph Benson Foraker, Henry H. Rogers, Edward Henry Harriman, David J. Brewer, and James Roscoe Day.
Cartoonist L. M. Glacken’s Christmas Day cover drawing in Puck featured a frequent theme of the day — a frequent practice, now largely moribund, of carolers singing hymns and Christmas songs house to house. The “Outs,” they sometimes were called, especially when not invited indoors for warmth and refreshments.
The carolers in the Glackens cartoon certainly were on the “outs,” at least at the window of President Roosevelt. History has remembered Senator Joseph Benson Foraker, veteran of several brutal disputes with fellow Republican Roosevelt, most recently over the Brownsville Affair and black soldiers; Edward Henry Harriman, railroad trust magnate whom Roosevelt recently branded an “undesirable citizen”; and Standard Oil’s twin leaders John D. Rockefeller and Henry H. Rogers, recently avoiding the penitentiary over corporate misdeeds.
Miss Democracy wakes up startled, in bed, on Christmas day. Her bedroom is filled with presents, everything bearing the countenance of William Jennings Bryan: the ornaments on the Christmas tree, the face on the grandfather clock, the handle on an umbrella, the inside of the horn on a gramophone, as well as Bryan portraits, busts, pillows, and dolls, and a copy of “Bryanecdotes.”
The issue of Puck dated Christmas Day 1907 contained a center-spread drawing at once a great political cartoon, and greatly funny — a humorous commentary. The subject was the imminent presidential campaign the following year.
“Same Old Presents” might have tempted Keppler to substitute with “Know All Men By These Presents” — for Puck‘s cartoonists seldom were beneath punning (“these presents” literally referring to details of a legal announcement) — but the variety of items adorned with the likeness of William Jennings Bryan is clever and humorous.
On a stage with a large table, many actors and actresses are engaged in various activities. On the far left is a Christmas tree with decorations based on the characters from the Harriet Beecher Stowe novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin: an angel labeled “Haley,” a playing card spade labeled “Marks,” a black doll labeled “Simon Legree,” a champagne bottle labeled “Mrs. Ophelia,” a bottle of “face powder” labeled “Topsey,” a dog labeled “Eliza,” and a whip labeled “Uncle Tom.” On the floor next to the tree is a jug labeled “Eagle Hotel Main Street.” The rest of the scene is comprised of blacks and whites playing dice games, drinking, and one woman feeding four dogs. An angel can be seen in the background. Caption: The Uncle Tommers’ Christmas dinner on the road.
This is a remarkable drawing, one that comes to us through the years speaking in way unconsciously and unintended. As a Christmas / seasonal cartoon, not designed for commentary or political statements, cartoonist L. M. Glackens has conjured a fantasy — what do road actors of those innumerable theatrical troupes that criss-crossed America, do on their rare nights off, for instance at Christmastime?
Shenanigans, indulging, playing, gambling, all the forbidden but innocent pleasures are suggested by Glackens.
Two women help Puck hang Christmas decorations. They have used holly to form “Puck” at the top of the window.
During much of the immediately preceding years, Puck cartoons and editorials had grown more political than ever, and increasingly radical. Corporate investigations and scandals dominated 1905; a flurry of Muckraking exposes and Congressional actions filled 1906; and 1907 was capped by a Wall Street financial panic. The magazine in its showcase covers and center-spreads, did not abandon humor nor decorative and seasonal themes, but they were diminished in numbers and focus.
There is almost a palpable feeling of relief, therefore, to see Frank A. Nankivell’s holiday conceit for Puck‘s Christmas issue. Colorful, icon-filled, and as pretty smiles as Nankivell could muster on Gibson-Girl types, adorn the cover. Puck‘s Christmas issues, usually full color throughout and virtually bereft of politics, generally were three times the number of pages than regular issues.
Governor Roosevelt wishes he and Anna Roosevelt Cowles could have spent Christmas together. He has already made arrangements to rent a house for the next year’s holidays and wants to make sure the families are together at that time.
1900-12-27
Governor Roosevelt gives Anna Roosevelt Cowles his great thanks for her valuable Christmas gifts and shares details about his family’s activities on the day. He is pleased that everyone is healthy and although he is working hard, he is happy. He also discusses the war in South Africa briefly.
1899-12-27
Assistant Secretary of the Navy Roosevelt thanks Anna Roosevelt Cowles for the book and shares details about his Christmas with his family. The vase for Anna Cabot Mills Davis Lodge was exactly as he wished.
1897
Lame duck president William H. Taft is having Christmas dinner at the White House, served by the Republican elephant, when the Democratic donkey bursts through a window, causing the Republican elephant to spill the “Soup.” Caption: The Democratic Donkey makes an informal call at the White House.
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
1912-12-25
Santa Claus climbs out a window, leaving behind a large sack of Christmas presents in front of a large fireplace where stockings labeled “Montenegro, Servia, Italy, England, Bulgaria, Germany, Austria, Russia, Greece, [and] France” are hanging. Leaders from the countries mentioned are fighting among themselves to get to the presents first. Caption: Santa Claus — Here’s where I beat it. Somebody else can have the job of dividing presents among that bunch!
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
1912-12-18
An angry, well-dressed man labeled “Monopoly” sits at a table, eating from a plate heaped with “Benefits of Protection.” Standing next to him is a minstrel holding a song sheet labeled “Tariff Reform Songster” and singing a song titled “Yo’s gwine t’get somethin that yo doan expect.” Caption: The Grouchy Diner — Confound these cabaret shows! They ought to be abolished!
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
1912-12-25
Santa Claus and Puck bow to a bust portrait of a young woman with mistletoe in her hair.
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
1912-12-04
A gold miner stands at the door to a cabin telling the miners inside, who are celebrating Christmas, that there has been a “gold strike up the creek,” which causes the miners to rush for the door. Caption: Man at Door — Hey, you fellers! There’s been a gold strike up the creek!
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
1912-12-04
Santa Claus points a handgun at the viewer. Caption: As Santa Claus looks to some of us.
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
1912-12-11
Theodore Roosevelt describes Christmas with the family; he especially enjoyed his grandchildren’s first Christmas festivities. Roosevelt wishes that William Sheffield Cowles were coming to see them, but he is happy that Quentin Roosevelt is going to visit the Cowles house. Roosevelt himself will probably visit in the spring.
1915-12-27
Two children are surrounded by broken toys. The toys are pointing fingers at the children and complaining to Santa Claus about the treatment they’ve received from them over the past year. Santa is sitting on the right, reading a large book labeled “Condition of Last Years Toys.” Caption: Indignant Chorus of Last Year’s Toys — Do they deserve anything more, Your Honor? Just look what they did to Us!
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
1911-12-06