Theodore Roosevelt's Holidays

Theodore Roosevelt kept the holidays with the same energy he brought to everything else: a long ride on Thanksgiving, stockings on Christmas morning, a campaign speech on his birthday. Follow him through the days of the year that meant the most to his family, in his own letters and diaries.

New Year’s Day

Admiral Dewey and Navy officers in line at President Roosevelt's New Year's reception at the White House, 1902

New Year’s Day with Theodore Roosevelt

Thousands of handshakes at the White House, a march in Uganda and a hunt in Brazil.

Sagamore Hill, Theodore Roosevelt's home at Oyster Bay, New York, 1912

Timeline of T.R.’s New Year’s Days

Where he spent January 1, from the Nile to the White House to Brazil.

Valentine’s Day

Alice Hathaway Lee Roosevelt, standing in a long dark dress, in a three-quarter length studio portrait

Valentine’s Day in Theodore Roosevelt’s Life

An engagement announced in 1880, and the day in 1884 his wife and his mother died.

Theodore Roosevelt's handwritten diary pages for February 13 and 14, 1880

Timeline of T.R.’s Valentine’s Days

From the Vatican in 1870 to a New York hospital in 1918.

Arbor Day

Theodore Roosevelt replanting a navel orange tree before a crowd at the Glenwood Inn, Riverside, California, 1903

Arbor Day with Theodore Roosevelt

A governor’s proclamation, Nebraska forests and a letter to every schoolchild.

Theodore Roosevelt with a spade planting a tree near San Jose, California, 1903

Timeline of T.R.’s Arbor Days

His Arbor Day moments, date by date, from 1900 to 1907.

Memorial Day

Colonel Theodore Roosevelt and his Rough Riders at the top of the hill they captured near Santiago, Cuba, 1898

Memorial Day with Theodore Roosevelt

A Rough Rider troop train, Arlington, Gettysburg and a ride to Cheyenne on Decoration Day.

President Theodore Roosevelt with his young sons Archie and Quentin, about 1904

Timeline of T.R.’s Memorial Days

Where he spent May 30, from Sagamore Hill to wartime Detroit.

Fourth of July

Puck magazine cover from 1907 showing Theodore Roosevelt setting off fireworks, captioned Every day is Fourth of July with Theodore

The Fourth of July with Theodore Roosevelt

Firecrackers, a Dakota speech, the trenches in Cuba and a message sent around the world.

Theodore Roosevelt speaking to a seated audience from a flag-draped platform, 1903

Timeline of T.R.’s Fourths of July

Where he spent the Fourth, from Hastings to Dickinson to Passaic.

Labor Day

Theodore Roosevelt speaking to a crowd at Rutland, Vermont, on Labor Day, 1902

Labor Day with Theodore Roosevelt

A Chicago picnic, a square deal at Syracuse and a rainy Labor Day in Fargo.

President Theodore Roosevelt boarding the presidential yacht Mayflower for the Oyster Bay naval review, 1906

Timeline of T.R.’s Labor Days

Where he spent Labor Day, from Camp Wikoff to a 1918 shipyard launch.

Birthday

The four-story brownstone at 28 East 20th Street in New York City where Theodore Roosevelt was born

Theodore Roosevelt’s Birthday

Born October 27, 1858, he married on his 22nd birthday and spent his 50th on horseback.

Theodore Roosevelt on horseback, his horse clearing a fence

Timeline of T.R.’s Birthdays

Where he was on October 27, from boyhood in Europe to his last birthday at Sagamore Hill.

Veterans Day

Colonel Theodore Roosevelt of the Rough Riders in uniform after his return from Cuba, 1898

Theodore Roosevelt and Veterans Day

The Rough Rider, his four soldier sons and the armistice he lived to see.

Album page with a photograph of Quentin Roosevelt beside his airplane, 1918

Timeline: The Roosevelts in Uniform

From the Rough Riders to Quentin’s last flight and the first Armistice Day.

Thanksgiving

President Theodore Roosevelt seated at a desk with a pen, signing a document

Thanksgiving with Theodore Roosevelt

Newsboys’ dinners, a Badlands Thanksgiving and his presidential proclamations.

The Maltese Cross ranch cabin near Medora, photographed in 1904

Timeline of T.R.’s Thanksgivings

From Harvard to the White House to a New York hospital.

Clifford Berryman cartoon of Theodore Roosevelt hunting turkeys in Virginia

Did T.R. Pardon a Turkey?

What the record shows about the White House turkey.

Christmas

Sagamore Hill, the Roosevelt home in Oyster Bay, New York, seen across its lawn

Christmas with Theodore Roosevelt

Archie’s secret tree, the Cove School and his last Christmas at Sagamore Hill.

Theodore Roosevelt in a safari camp watching men carry in a lion skin

Timeline of T.R.’s Christmases

From a hotel in Rome to the White House and Sagamore Hill.

Archie Roosevelt as a boy, sitting on his pony Algonquin

Did T.R. Ban Christmas Trees?

The myth, and what really happened.

From the Archives

Letters, cartoons and photographs about T.R.’s holidays from the Theodore Roosevelt Center.