Mary E. Seeley

Mary Evans Seeley and her husband, Ronald, are inveterate collectors of presidential Christmas memorabilia; parts of their extensive Seeley Collection have been on display at the White House and ten presidential libraries. Encouraged by the curator of the White House to write this book, Mary Seeley has visited twelve presidential libraries, met President Reagan, interviewed Laura Bush, Barbara Bush, Nancy Reagan, Rosalynn Carter, and Betty Ford, received communications from Lady Bird Johnson and the Clinton White House, and talked with first family children. She also interviewed the artists whose works grace the Christmas cards and gifts of the presidents. The copious research so evident in these pages came naturally to Seeley, who holds an M.A. degree in American history. The author has visited twelve presidential libraries and spoken at ten, including a one-hour program from the Nixon Library televised by C-SPAN and a segment on rare presidential cards for the Fox News Channel at the Carter Library.