The 2015 White House Annual Christmas & Holidays Ornament, #27 in the Annual Collection
President Franklin D. Roosevelt Commemorative
32nd President of the United States (March 4, 1933 – April 12, 1945)
The 2015 White House Gift Shop's annual ornament, 27th in the collection, is designed by Giannini. The Roosevelt ornament is a dual-sided heirloom piece, the first dual-sided ornament in the nearly 30 year history of the collection (often called the Secret Service Uniformed Division by discerning collectors and gift givers, worldwide) that presents in multidimensionality the North Portico with the White House Christmas 2015 banner on front and the South Balcony with 1933 Franklin Delano Roosevelt 1945 on reverse with a festive Season's Greetings banner. This elegant piece is designed as two united ornaments to symbolize the hope and relief that President Roosevelt brought to millions of anguished Americans during the Great Depression -- hope that united America in spirit and vision for an end to economic devastation of American families. Handcrafted of premium brass, nickel treated for timeless preservation then decorated in 24KT gold and perfectly baked enamels with a protective finish -- the 2015 ornament honoring President Roosevelt is made in the USA by the official ornament makers. An information card accompanies this year's White House ornament (often called the Secret Service Uniformed Division series for decades by collectors, globally) and details the life and presidency of FDR.
While Roosevelt's presidential accomplishments were vast by any historical standard, we especially honor his his struggle with polio over which FDR, the man as much as the president, transcended the personal and sought to help others through his creation of the
National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis, known and beloved across America as The March of Dimes (photo below shows FDR counting dimes on the Oval Office desk). Through the enormous outpouring of American spirit, generosity, and support for FDR's visionary foundation, the vaccines developed by Jonas Salk, M.D. and Albert Sabin, M.D. eventually and effectively ended epidemic polio in the United States.
As President, FDR's accomplishments are legendary.
The March of Dimes (photo shows FDR counting dimes on the Oval Office desk)
THE ROOSEVELT PRESIDENCY
The New Deal
1933 FDR takes the oath of office on March 4, and during his first 100 Days, he gets a significant number of Legislative programs through Congress. His programs became known as "alphabet agencies" such as the Agricultural Adjustment Administration and the Civilian Conservation
Corps both of which focused on economic relief recovery and reform.
1935 FDR succeeds in creating the Works Progress Administration
and Social Security as well as other programs.
1936 He is re-elected president to a second term
World War II
1939 Germany invades Poland, an act that escalates to World War II. While keeping a neutral position for the U.S., Roosevelt seeks ways to provide American aid to the Allied powers
1940 Roosevelt wins election for an "unprecedented" third term
1941 FDR signs the Lend-Lease bill, thus aiding nations at war with Germany and
Italy. On December 7, Japan attacks Pearl Harbor, and the United States enters into World War II. The next day, December 8, Roosevelt delivers his famous "day of infamy" speech before Congress and seeks from Congress a formal declaration of war against Germany.
1942 FDR envisions and moves to create a grand alliance of Allied powers through the Declaration
of the United Nations.
1944 Roosevelt is re-elected president for a fourth term, making FDR the longest serving president in U.S. history
1945 On April 12, President Roosevelt passes away at Warm Springs, Georgia and is buried in the Rose
Garden of his Hyde Park estate in New York.
