Dec. 24 (UPI) — U.S. President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden made a Christmas Eve visit to the Children’s National Hospital, where they met with hospitalized children and their families.
Visiting the hospital is an annual tradition for the first lady dating, but for the first time, the president joined her.
They arrived just after 11 a.m. local time and sat with children in the hospital’s atrium as they made lanterns during a winter crafts project.
The couple sat in front of a Christmas tree and read “Olaf’s Night Before Christmas” to the children.
The first lady’s reading was streamed to other patients in the hospital not present in the atrium.
The tradition of having the first lady visit the national hospital dates back to the Truman administration in 1945.
The visit is part of the Bidens’ first Christmas in the White House. They plan to spend the Christmas holiday at the White House this year instead of Wilmington, Del.
In addition to attending mass on Friday with their children and grandchildren, the couple will celebrate with a pasta dinner and a sleepover — both of which are traditions for the holiday.
