2016 White House Gold Heirloom Annual Easter Egg
Inspired by East Room and North Portico and Titled: East Room Swags
Dimensions: 3.0" x 2.0"
The White House Heirloom Easter Egg for 2016 entitled "East Room Swags" is inspired by motifs of the East Room's drapery, swags, medallions with elements of the North Portico's fanlight, festoon, garlands, and high-relief rose. We created a unique hue of Easter teal enamel upon an elegant 24-karat gold finished brass filigree egg to transform East Room and North Portico motifs to this year's elegant, sophisticated, and eye-captivating Easter egg.
A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE WHITE HOUSE EASTER EGG ROLL
The original site of the Easter Monday Egg Roll was the grounds of the United States Capitol. By the mid-1870s, the egg rolling activities on the West Terraces had gained notoriety as the children turned the Capitol grounds into their Easter Monday playground. The first egg rolls, largely family affairs, seem to have been held during the administration of President Andrew Johnson. Youngsters of the President's family dyed eggs on Sunday for the Monday rolling, which the First Lady would watch from the South Portico. The workers and tourists watched in fascination as the children rolled both their hard boiled eggs and themselves down the lush green hills.
The egg roll activity of 1876 took its toll on the grounds, a fact that did not go unnoticed by members of Congress. With an already inadequate budget to complete the landscaping and maintenance of the grounds, Congress passed a law forbidding the Capitol grounds to be used as a children's playground. The law was to be enforced in 1877. But that Easter Monday rain poured down, canceling any outdoor activities sending the egg rollers indoors to play.
On Easter Saturday of 1878, a small announcement in the local press informed the egg rollers the new law would be enforced. President Rutherford B. Hayes, taking his daily walk, was approached by a number of young egg rollers who inquired about the possibilities of egg rolling on the South Lawn of the White House. President Hayes, upon his return to the White House, issued an official order that should any children arrive to egg roll on Easter Monday, they were to be allowed to do so. That Monday, as children were being turned away from the Capitol grounds, word quickly spread to go to the White House!
President Hayes and his wife, Lucy, officially opened the White House grounds to the children of the area for egg rolling that Easter Monday. Successive Presidents continued the tradition, and the event has been held on the South Lawn ever since.
| 4 of 4 people found the following review helpful: |
 |  | | |  GREAT EXPERIENCE | February 24, 2016 | | Reviewer: Kimberly Jones from Middle River, MD United States | |
I bought this as an Easter present for my parents, who absolutely adore President Obama and First Lady. It is beautiful and can not wait for them to see it. Also, shipping was super fast. I will be purchasing more items in the near future.
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| 7 of 7 people found the following review helpful: |
| | | | | 2016 EASTER EGG | February 21, 2016 | | Reviewer: Pat from Hollywood, FL United States | |
The 2016 Easter Egg is absolutely stunning - I am proud to add it to my collection.
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2016 White H Easter Egg 
