Late in life, Mary Donelson Wilcox recalled a magical childhood Christmas she spent at the White House with her elderly uncle, President Andrew Jackson. Her captivating memoirs paint a picture of a surprisingly global White House, with servants from around the world, and a surprisingly warm and playful President Jackson. Mary offers us a rare glimpse at Christmas in the early 19th century–when stockings, Santa Claus, and focusing the holiday on children were all delightfully novel ideas.

A digitized copy of Wilcox’s memoir is available free here. Text for this broadcast has been edited for content.

Music featured in this episode included Fiddlesticks, Aaron Kenny, Twin Musicom, Doug Maxwell, Kevin MacLeod, and Henry Reed.

Want to help us “make history”? Become a Patron or Donate here!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices