Tinsel on the Rug

"Protest Nativities"  Perhaps in your neighborhood?

Christ Church Episcopal Church, located in downtown Indianapolis, IN,  has replaced the traditional and familiar manger scene with this version.  All three of the principals are in a chain link cage to protest Trump immigration policies.  This church is "Known to be politically active."  No!  You think?.

United Methodist Church, Claremont, CA has the trio divided into three chain link cages - not even the unity of all in one.  That's kind of sad don't you think?  

And lastly I have to call bullshit on Rev. Stephen Josomas, St. Susanna Parish who said (winsomely perhaps)  "Our goal was never to fill the pews.  It is to live out the Gospel."  Whatever one might think of his sincerity in this matter, he said it. And then had to hurry to catch up with a group of press he was showing around their display.  A three cager.

Whatever happened to separation of Church and State anyhow???

A Royal Christmas  Queen Elizabeth II rewards her faithful staff by sending out 1,500 Christmas puddings (Brit fruitcake?) and 750 cards.  I heard that she likes to decorate her own tree, one of three located in the Marble Hall at Sandringham.

Christmas Doings at the White House  I recommend   whitehousehistory.org which is rich in hard facts and intimate details.  A taste - The White House was wired for electricity in 1894.  Three years later in 1897, Grover Cleveland and his family delighted in the first Christmas trees to be lit - red, white and blue bulbs were the theme colors.  His daughters were thrilled to bits according to reports at the time.

The number of trees in the White House went up considerably under Mamie Eisenhower's reign.  Her first Christmas included 26 trees throughout the official and private areas of the White House.
In 1997 the Clintons upped the ante with 36 trees and in 2008, Obama downsized the number to 27.

The Trump theme for 2019 is The Spirit of America with four-star- spangled trees with an eagle topping the trees in the East Room; a Gingerbread house in the State Dining room.  Trees in the South Portico of the White House with a Liberty Bell, Mt. Rushmore,Statue of Liberty.   The Grand Foyer shows swags of 22 evergreens and 14 magnolia topiaries.  I searched and could not get the number of trees this year.  Annoying as I try to be factual.

White House pastry chef, Roland Mesnier will make yet another gingerbread house.  The first was five cottages for the George H.W. Bush family.  In ensuing years, a recreated White House (the whole thing) or the South Portico have been popular models.

He has to start the fruit cakes and their aging early because there will be a half ton of them.  So the kitchens start in early summer and then they are aged in refrigerators until the season calls for them.  Mesnier has written several books and I look forward to finding them in our local library.  I don't want to bake anything, (I can't stand flour on my hands) but I love the behind-the-curtain stories of the greats and not-so-much ones.

Now - go get the vacuum cleaner and sweep this mess away!