Christmas Greetings from President Coolidge
I read The Autobiography of Calvin Coolidge many years ago. Yesterday I finished listening to the expanded and annotated edition published in 2021. The Coolidge family authorized this edition, which was edited by Coolidge biographer Amity Shlaes and coeditor Matthew Denhart. It was fantastic. I learned from Coolidge himself, from the comments by Shlaes and Denhart, and from the Coolidge speeches in the appendix.
Concerning his autobiography President Coolidge said:
It was my hope to produce a book that would not only have some historical interest, but would be useful for those in public life, in educational work, in preparation for citizenship, and would be especially a book that parents would wish their children to read.
I agree with President Coolidge. It is especially a book I would wish for my children and grandchildren to read. I am pretty sure that all of my children have read it already. In fact, it was our daughter Mary Evelyn who introduced it to Ray and me when she read it while homeschooling. It is one of the four books that Ray recommends for students to read while they are studying his Exploring Government curriculum.
President Coolidge often looks austere in his photographs, but those images mask the deep love, respect, and admiration he had for people. In relating his daily schedule, he said that at 12:30 the doors of the White House opened for the general public to shake hands with him. Coolidge wrote:
On one occasion I shook hands with 1,900 in 34 minutes. Instead of a burden, it was a pleasure and a relief to meet people in that way and listen to their greeting which was often a benediction.
Today I want to share the remarks that Coolidge handwrote on White House notepaper and issued in time for U.S. newspapers to reproduce a facsimile of it on the front pages of their newspapers on December 25, 1927.
To the American People:
Christmas is not a time or a season but a state of mind. To cherish peace and good will, to be plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas. If we think on these things, there will be born in us a Savior and over us will shine a star sending its gleam of hope to the world.
Below are some photographs of President Calvin Coolidge and First Lady Grace Coolidge celebrating Christmas while he was president. In the first photos, President Coolidge meets with representatives of the American Lung Association, which began selling Christmas seals to help end tuberculosis. Today Christmas seals continue to support the American Lung Association as it works to help people with a variety of lung diseases.
In these photos, First Lady Grace Coolidge volunteers with the Salvation Army.
Ray and I have been married 49 years today. As you and we celebrate this December 27 (the 3rd day of Christmas for those of us who enjoy celebrating the entire 12 days of Christmas), may you enjoy a day plenteous in mercy. When Mary visited her relative Elizabeth before the birth of Jesus, she declared:
And Mary said:
My soul exalts the Lord,
And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.
For He has had regard for the humble state of His bondslave;
For behold, from this time on all generations will count me blessed.
For the Mighty One has done great things for me;
And holy is His name.
And His mercy is upon generation after generation
Toward those who fear Him.
Luke 1:46-50