One of the White House's Oldest Traditions

The Easter Egg Roll takes place on the Monday after Easter Sunday each year — with some exceptions that I'll get to in a minute — but what I didn't realize is that it's one of the oldest traditions in White House history. While informal egg rolling parties reportedly took place at the White House as far back as Abraham Lincoln's first term, the event officially dates back to 1878 when Rutherford B. Hayes was president. By 1880, the Evening Star reported that children had "absolute possession of the grounds south of the White House" when it took place. 

There are many variations of the exact story of how it started floating around among reputable sources, but this one seems the most likely: Hayes' wife, Lucy, was said to be quite fond of children, and she often invited them to the White House to spend time. When children in Washington, D.C. were banned from rolling Easter eggs on Capitol grounds that year, they approached the White House gates, knowing how sloped the South Lawn was, and she and the president invited them in to roll their eggs. And so, a tradition began. It's been said that Lucy also enjoyed hosting various events at the White House and was one of the most popular first ladies in American history at the time. 

According to the White House, the big event is often planned by the first lady, and she and the president typically put their own spin on it. Lou Hoover incorporated folk dancing, for example, while at some point during Benjamin Harrison's presidency, the United States Marine Band became part of the festivities. Betty Ford and Rosalynn Carter both handed out plastic eggs with personal notes inside. Nancy Reagan began handing out wooden egg keepsakes to attendees, a traditional that still stands today, and Eleanor Roosevelt incorporated more organized games. Pat Nixon introduced the "most famous event of modern Easter Egg Rolls, the egg-rolling race," which used "spoons borrowed from the White House kitchen." She also invited circus performers. 

Our current first lady is no different. In 2019, for example, Mrs. Trump planned the day, which included a whole host of activities, like cookie and egg decorating, coloring, art lessons, tennis, performers in costumes, and games, and she even read books to the children in attendance. It will be fun to see what she has planned for 2025. (It has to be better than last year when Easter Sunday fell on the same day as "Transgender Day of Visibility" and the Bidens made a bigger deal out of that.) 

The Easter Egg Roll became particularly popular during Herbert Hoover's presidency, with record numbers of people showing up. According to the White House Historical Association, so many people came in 1929 that many children got lost during the day. In 1930, with this in mind, Lou Hoover declared the Rose Garden a "lost and found bureau." 

White House Police estimated that 47,217 people filled the South Lawn under gray, drab skies that soon became sunny. The police said that 71 children were lost but all were reunited with their parents by the time the egg roll ended at 6:00 p.m. 

The April 21, 1930 crowd of 48,464 set a then-record for White House Easter Egg Rolls. First Lady Lou Hoover decided to use the Rose Garden as a “lost and found bureau” where gone-astray children could be brought to their parents with the help of Girl Scout volunteers. Unfortunately the first lady had to watch the festivities from her bedroom window, as she was suffering from a bad cold and a sprained back

Animals have made appearances at the Egg Rolls. Benjamin Harrison's toy pony was a popular attraction, as was Grace Coolidge's pet raccoon. The Carters had a petting zoo on hand that included a 1,200-pound steer. Live bunnies and dogs, including many first pets, have also been a part of the festivities, but in 1969, one of Pat Nixon's staff members wore a bunny costume, which kind of put an end to live animals and started a new tradition. 

The Egg Roll has been canceled over the years due to wars, food shortages, and inclement weather. In 2020, Melania Trump canceled it due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and in 2021, Jill Biden did the same. However, one of the biggest issues the event has caused is the stench. Apparently, in the early days, the scent of rotten eggs  "could be smelled three square miles away." That's one reason several first ladies have taken steps to make the event's games a bit more organized. 

If you're interested in attending the White House Easter Egg Roll this year, you'll need a child under the age of 13, and you'll need to enter the annual lottery at Recreation.gov. The White House is also looking for volunteers to help make the event special.