Christmas with George Washington

December 17^th, 2008  

We, remain in Status quo, and all unite in offering you, & yours, the compliments of the season; and the return of many, many more, and happy ones. ---

G.Washington Mount Vernon 25^th Dec. 1797

This was George Washington’s sentiment about Christmas in 1797.  Let’s take a look at some other years in his life and see how Christmas was remembered then.

George Washington left Barbados on December 22^nd, in 1751.  The youthful George also left his Brother Lawrence who would travel alone from Barbados to Bermuda to hopefully improve his frail health by being exposed to that terrific climate.  On Christmas morning onboard the ship Industry, George would dine on special fare that the Captain had planned for passengers and crew.  George records that, “We dined on a . . .Irish goose which had been hung for the purpose some Weeks, and drank a health to our absent friends.”  By the time he reached Mount Vernon and Lawrence’s family the holiday celebration that lasted from Christmas Eve through Twelfth Night was over.  The party dresses and dancing slippers would have been laid away in lavender and verbena scented wardrobes.  The decorations were already taken down, and the remains of the yule log had been stored in the “lumber” rooms, carefully wrapped to preserve it for starting the next year’s yule log.

In 1753 Washington spent Christmas Day walking in the deep snow and bitter cold of the Pennsylvania woods, on the first important mission of his military career.  He was then the Adjutant-General of the Old Dominion and Governor Dinwiddie had commissioned him to make a report on French enterprises along the Ohio River.  By the 23^rd of December his mission was accomplished and with his men, horses, and supplies he was headed for Virginia.  He had his report ready to deliver to the Governor.  As we talked about last month, his horses were so weak that he and Mr. Gist headed back the nearest way through the woods – on foot.  After six days of struggle, they arrived at a Mr. Frazier’s near McKeesport, Pennsylvania.  There they took horses, Mr. Gist to head for home and Washington for Williamsburg.  George reached Belvoir, on the Potomac River, home of the Fairfax family on January 11^th, 1754.

Washington stayed one day with them for “necessary rest” before pushing on to Williamsburg to present his report to the Governor.  I doubt if the exhausted traveler even asked about the Christmas celebration during his one-day of rest and sleep.

The next year Christmas of 1754, Washington planned to spend it with William Byrd, III, at Westover, Byrd’s ancestral home on the James River.  Washington couldn’t accept Byrd’s invitation and it was not until April 20^th of 1755 that he expressed his regrets in a letter written at Mount Vernon:  I was sorry it was not in my power to wait upon you at Westover last Christmas.  I had enjoy’d much satisfaction in the thought when an unexpected accident put it entirely out of my power to comply either with my promise, or Inclination; both of which equally urg’d me to make this visit.

This is the last Christmas we know about Washington until he was married.  At this period of his life he began pursuing three careers: soldier, farmer, and statesman.  He served in further campaigns of the protracted French and Indian War.  He was beginning to develop his inheritance, Lawrence’s Mount Vernon home and encompassing acres, in the world-famous plantation it was to become.  He represented his county in the Virginia House of Burgesses. 

On January 6^th, 1759 – “Twelfth Night,” at the close of the Christmas celebrations – Martha Dandridge Custis became Mrs. George Washington.  In addition to all the other celebrations that took place during that Christmas season even Halley’s Comet added it’s spectacular show to the fires and fireworks.  The wedding celebration took place at, the White House, Martha’s home on the Pamunkey River.  The entire twelve days would be composed of breakfasts, dinners, suppers, games, balls, hunting, dancing, and many other events.  Every house in the area would host almost everyone else for some of these events. 

Once they were married life at Mount Vernon was composed of toys and other items ordered for the children.  A large portion of the toys were ordered from England, where craftsmen were skillful and products well known.  An order entrusted to a ship’s captain in September of one year frequently did not arrive in the colonies until March of the next.  Imagine trying to successfully hide these items for such a long period from prying eyes and searching hands.  There are many other records in the Library of Congress on items ordered for the children. 

There is much more written about Christmas’ during the Revolutionary War almost all of it away from Washington’s home.  He only visited Mount Vernon twice during the war.  The war, virtually at an end after Yorktowne, came to a formal close in 1783, and on the 23^rd of December Washington’s commission as Commander-in-Chief was tendered to Congress, then convening at Annapolis, and was formally terminated.  By this act Washington repudiated his military career and turned back to being a private citizen.  With Martha accompanying him, he turned homeward.  Arriving at Mount Vernon on Christmas Eve, they found family and friends assembled, and the roadway and grounds filled with grinning servants, happy beyond belief to welcome both master and mistress.  Once again they heard the carefree, unrestrained sounds of Christmas – pistol shots, firecrackers, rousing song.  Once again they witnessed the manifestations of a proper holiday – bonfires in the quarters, the house decorated with greens, tables groaning with all the goodness of home-cooking, the “flowing” cup and glass.  And even more precious, once more they beheld in smiling collection around their hearth dear friends and dearer family.  Little George Washington Parke Custis and Nelly greeted them with the rest.  Their Christmas happiness was augmented some weeks before by the purchase of gifts in Philadelphia.  There were books, quadrille boxes – a sort of game box for dice – pocketbooks, a handkerchief, a whirligig, and for very special presents a locket for Nelly and a fiddle for tiny George.

In years to come so many people came to visit at Mount Vernon that Washington himself referred to it as a “well resorted tavern”!  The cuisine of those days was excessive.  Martha carefully kept record of how to prepare the foods and drinks she served.  At least two of her manuscript cookbooks are preserved.  Just to give you an idea of the magnitude of the cooking just listen to this one recipe.  This is for Martha’s “Great Cake”.  To make it:  Take 40 eggs & divide the whites from the yolks & beat them to a froth start work 4 pounds of butter to a cream & put the whites of eggs to it a spoon full at a time till it is well work’d then put 4 pounds of sugar finely powderd to it in the same manner then put in the Youlks of eggs & 5 pounds of flower & 5 pounds of fruit.  2 hours will bake it add to it half an ounce of mace 1 nutmeg half a pint of wine & some frensh brandy.  Imagine having a pan big enough to bake a cake like that.

On the same copious scale were the pies Washington wrote about to David Humphreys:  Altho’ I lament the effect, I am pleased at the cause which has deprived us of the pleasure of your aid in the attack of Christmas pies; we had one yesterday on which all the company, tho’ pretty numerous, were hardly able to make an impression.

Then there was Christmas Egg-nog!  Picture bowls white-capped and foaming with the General’s celebrated brew!  Reduced to the stilted terms of an ageless example, all the fundamentals of his recipe abide in the following ingredients:  1 quart milk; 1 quart cream; 1 dozen eggs; 1 dozen tablespoons sugar; 1 pint brandy; ½ pint rye whiskey; ¼ pint Jamaica or New England rum; and ¼ pint sherry.  The last portion of the instructions which follow is guaranteed to produce a genial host:  Mix liquor first.  Separate yolks and whites of eggs.  Add sugar to beaten yolks.  Mix well.  Add liquor mixture, drop by drop at first, slowly beating.  Add milk and cream, slowly beating.  Beat whites of eggs until stiff and fold slowly into mixture.  Let set in cool place several days.  Taste frequently.

The twelfth month of the year 1799 had moved toward its mid-point when Washington died.  That date, December 14^th, saw a nation plunged into mourning, the grief of which did not lessen by Christmas.  On December 26^th, Henry Lee delivered his funeral oration before Congress. A phrase of this is known to every American, but what General Lee added is necessary to complete that marvelous sentence:  First in war, fist in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen, he was second to none in the humble and endearing scenes of private life. 

Let us now join in the songs of the season and start our celebration off in a great and glorious fashion.