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- The poinsettia plant was brought into the United States from Mexico by Joel Poinsett in the early 1800's.
- Gift giving as we know it today is derived from St. Nicholas, a bishop who was known for giving children presents.
- The first official White House card was issued in the year of 1953 by President Eisenhower.
- The 2009 White House Blue Room Christmas Tree is an 18 1/2-by-13-foot Douglas fir.
- In Roman times, holiday gift giving was popular during Saturnalia, a winter solstice celebration.
- The U.S. is home to approximately 3,000 greeting card publishers.
- If you received all of the gifts in the song "The Twelve Days of Christmas", you would receive 364 presents.
- 92 volunteers from 24 states, as well as residence staff, spent 3,400 hours decorating the White House.
- In 1947, Toys for Tots organized its first Christmas toy drive for needy youngsters.
- In 1937, the first postage stamp to commemorate Christmas was issued in Austria.
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