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The first commercial Christmas card was sent in 1843 by Henry Cole, a philanthropist who wrote hundreds of cards by hand. Courtesy of Pushing the Envelope

Total Eclipse of the Moon—Early yesterday morning (or late Monday night for those on the west coast), an astronomical event took place that only happens once in a blue moon. Well, okay, it wasn’t a blue moon, but it was a total lunar eclipse. This was the first lunar eclipse to fall on the winter solstice since 1638. By the time this happens again in 2094, most of us will be long gone. The AirSpace blog has more information on how lunar eclipses form and what they look like in case you happened to miss out.

Christmas Sweater Archives—I have certainly seen some festive holiday sweaters around the Mall this winter; my personal favorite (worn by ATM’s own Beth Py-Lieberman!) featured chiming jingle bells, appliqued gingerbread men, Christmas trees and red bows. The Archives of American Art has done their own archival roundup of holiday knitwear donned by poets, painters and explorers.

Winter Wonderland—The Bigger Picture blog has a slideshow honoring the onslaught of cold the Washington area has received in recent weeks. The pictures are from the Smithsonian Institution Archives and include snowflake art, icy expeditions, and the Smithsonian covered in snow in the early 1900s. The post also has links to snowflake templates for cutting your own winter decorations.

Solstice—If you thought the weather here was cold, SIRIS has posted photos of Alaska Natives buckling down for the dead of winter from the archives of scientist Leuman M. Waugh, who visited the area in the early 20th century. The photos are likely to make you want a fur-lined winter parka to brave the icy chill. Another post on SIRIS shows images of winter landscape paintings from the National Art Inventories.

Birth of the Christmas Card—Pushing the Envelope has published a guest post by Skidmore College professor Catherine Golden that reveals the first Christmas card ever, from 1843. The card depicts a merry gathering of people eating and drinking, and reads, “A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year To You.” Read about the history of the holiday card, as well as Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, which Golden writes was arguably more popular for its philanthropic message than even the author’s expert prose.

Poinsettia Video—Recently, Around the Mall brought you the true story of the Poinsettia, which involved Joel Poinsett and his idea to create a national museum. Watch Monty Holmes, a horticulturist at Smithsonian Gardens, talk more about the history of this holiday plant.

Image courtesy of the National Archives.

Traveling incognito under the name Jon Burrows, rock and roll superstar Elvis Presley arrived at the White House in a purple velvet jumpsuit on this day in 1970 to meet President Richard Nixon. Offhand, this seems like an unlikely pairing but the king had his reasons for wanting to meet with the leader of the free world. Though a symbol of teenage rebellion in the 50s, Elvis was disdainful of 60s counterculture and wanted to offer his services to the federal government in the war on drugs. He also wanted a badge from the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs to add to his growing collection of police badges. Though the meeting was kept under wraps for a year—and an opportunity for Elvis to work with White House staff to mount an anti-drugs project never arose—a single photograph deftly illustrating the marvelous incongruity of that meeting (above) has since become a major hit with the public. It currently stands as the best-selling image in the National Archives’ collections and graces all sorts of ephemera and memorabilia, such as T-shirts and mugs. Be sure to read this article for the full story on the Nixon/Presley meeting and check out the Archives’ site that contains original documents, photographs and fun downloads.

The Smithsonian is also an Elvis hotspot. If you’re in town, be sure to see the National Portrait Gallery’s show Elvis at 21, which features 56 shimmering black and white photographs of Elvis just as he began to emerge on the music scene and rise to fame. ATM blogger Jess Righthand chatted with photographer Alfred Wertheimer about his experience taking portraits of the artist as a young man. “All the images that I took are really of the authentic Elvis, who was directing his own life,” Wertheimer reflects. “That’s what I think may be quite unique about the whole show.” This exhibit is open until January 23, 2011 which means that you die-hard Elvis fans can check out the show on the king’s birthday, January 8.

National Portrait Gallery researcher Warren Perry, who curated One Life: Echoes of Elvis, also offered ATM his insights on what made Presley such a unique presence on the 1950s music scene: “Elvis had the voice and the style that opened up African American music to white kids. Sure, but he also had a gutsy, feral sex appeal that the old crooners did not have.” (Perry was also kind enough to meditate on the meaning of velvet Elvis paintings.)

So there you have it. Washington, DC is something of a Graceland-north this year. So if you’re in town, maybe swing by the Portrait Gallery and National Archives’ gift shops if you’re in need of some last minute gift ideas. It’s always a blue Christmas without a little Elvis, don’t you think?

"Pavilion in the Winter Mountains." Courtesy of the Freer Gallery of Art.

Today, the 21st of December, marks the winter solstice—the day of the year when the Earth is tilted the farthest away from the sun on its axis. How better to acknowledge the first day of winter, than to turn to “Seasons,” a series of five overlapping exhibitions at the Smithsonian’s Freer Gallery of Art.

“Seasons: Chinese Landscapes,” which opened this past Saturday, features large summer and winter-themed paintings done on silk by commercial artists and painters of the imperial court as well as smaller spring and autumn paintings done on paper by famous Chinese scholar-bureaucrats, all dating from the 14th to the 18th century. According to Stephen Allee, research specialist in Chinese art at the Freer and Sackler galleries, the pieces, all part of the museum’s permanent collection, were selected for display based on their artistic quality and the way they capture the mood of a particular season. “In the traditional Chinese approach to landscape painting, seasons inspire unique emotions, such as happiness and elation in spring, peaceful contentment in summer, melancholy and solemnity in autumn and quiet contemplation in winter,” he says.

Of the wintry scenes, Allee counts Pavilion in the Winter Mountains (above) and Mount Emei under Heavy Snow (below, right) among his favorites. “Both capture the essence of winter for me,” he says, “both its harshness and beauty.” The first, a fan from 1933, is luminous. While the other, of the frigid Mount Emei, one of the Four Holy Mountains of Chinese Buddhism and a site of religious pilgrimage, seems to describe, visually, what Chinese landscape painter Guo Xi (circa 1001-circa 1090) once wrote about winter: “In the winter mountains, darkness and murk cover and enclose, and one is quiet and contemplative.” If you look closely, two scholars stand on the porch of a villa taking in the view.

"Mount Emei under Heavy Snow." Courtesy of the Freer Gallery of Art.

All in all, says Allee, “I hope that visitors come away with a sense of elation, of having been on a leisurely journey through a new and fascinating terrain, of having experienced the ideas and emotions that inspired the paintings.”

The “Chinese Landscapes” exhibition is open through June 12, 2011. Looking ahead, here is the schedule for the remainder of the series:

Seasons: Japanese Screens On View: A collection of screens decorated with different flora and natural wonders. December 24, 2010-July 5, 2011.                                                                                        (A second group of screens will be on display July 9, 2011-January 22, 2012.)

Seasons: Arts of Japan On View: Paintings, lacquer ware, ceramics and calligraphy that allude to Japanese poetry and customs. February 5, 2011-August 7, 2011.                                                               (A second group of Japanese works will be on view September 3, 2011-March 4, 2012.)

Seasons: Tea On View: Ceramic bowls and utensils used in a tea room that reflect what was used during different seasons. February 5, 2011-August 7, 2011                                                                              (A second group will run from September 3, 2011 to March 4, 2012.)

Seasons: Flowers On View: Paintings of Chinese flowers native to each season.  July 2, 2011-January 8, 2012.

From the moment the National Zoo’s seven lion cubs were born this fall, we’ve been waiting with great anticipation for the chance to meet them in person. We’ve seen them through their first physical exams and a swim test to make sure they can get across the moat in the Zoo yards. Recently, the first lion cub was named Aslan after the famous lion from C.S. Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia series. Finally, this weekend, the Zoo announced the names of the six other lion cubs and let the little superstars test out their habitat. Starting today, the cubs will be conditionally on exhibit for all to see (keepers will evaluate the weather and make a decision each day). To see them online, view our photo gallery of the cutest cubs in the Smithsonian (for now…)

The lion cubs make their debut. Credit: Mehgan Murphy, National Zoo

The names of Shera’s cubs, born August 31, are:

John: This cub was given the name John after John Berry, director of the National Zoo from 2006 to 2009. Berry was instrumental in bringing the cub’s mother Shera, her sister Nababiep and the father, Luke, to the Zoo in 2006.

Fahari (pronounced fa-HAH-ree): This name means “magnificent” in Swahili. It was chosen by the National Zoo advisory board because when she was first born, she had a ravenous appetite and was bigger than all the other cubs, even her brother. Though she no longer holds the distinction as being the biggest cub, keepers are sure she’ll keep her larger-than-life personality.

Zuri (ZUH-ree): It was only fitting for the Friends of the National Zoo board to name this cub Zuri, which means “beautiful” in Swahili. Zuri has the thickest, softest fur of all the cubs.

Lelie (la-LEE-ay): The first-grade classroom at Marshall Elementary School in Manassas, Virginia, won the video contest to name a cub, which we announced last month. Afrikaans for “lily.” The students chose it because lilies are a common flower at Kruger Park, the largest national park in South Africa and home to about 2,000 African lions.

The three cubs born to Nababiep on September 22 are named:

Baruti (ba-ROO-tee): The Bright Horizons daycare class in Arlington won the video contest with the best male name for a cub. The name is African and means “teacher.” Keepers described the lion as calm and quiet, so the class thought this to be fitting.

Aslan: On December 10, Georgie Henley and Skandar Keynes, actors in The Chronicles of Narnia movies, visited the Zoo and named him Aslan after the “Great Lion” in the series. Aslan is Turkish for “lion.”

Lusaka (lu-SAH-ka): Last January, the Zoo lost an 18-year-old lioness named Lusaka who held a special place in the hearts of her keepers as the matriarch of the lions. This cub was the only female of the bunch, so she was given the name Lusaka in memory of the late lioness.

Beginning today, zookeepers will decide on a daily basis whether or not to let the lion cubs roam their outdoor digs. This will depend primarily on the weather and on how well the cubs adjust to being out and about. Read updates from the Zoo’s lion keepers and check for news on the Zoo’s Twitter feed and Facebook page.

Harper's Christmas (c. 1898) by Edward Penfield. Image courtesy of the American Art Museum.

Monday, December 20: ZooLights

ZooLights, the National Zoo’s festive electric light display, is back once again—and this year it’s absolutely free! For children of all ages, a menagerie of LED light sculptures modeled after critters at the Zoo will be on display. Tickets are NOT required. This event runs from Friday through Sunday until December 13; between December 18 and January 2.  ZooLights occurs every night except December 24, 25 and 31 (Of course, if the Zoo has to close due to bad, wintry weather, then ZooLights will be canceled.) National Zoo, 6-8:30 PM.

You can also ramp up your fun by participating in a scavenger hunt while you’re touring the light show—all you need is a cell or smart phone. Text “ZooLights” to 728647 OR download the SCVNGR app on your iPhone or Android, click on “Treks,” and select the “Conservation Carol” Trek to start your journey. The more challenges you complete, the more points you will earn. By playing you will have a chance to win an exclusive VIP tour, including a visit with the keeper of your favorite animal. Ten runner-ups get ZooLights t-shirts. This SCVNGR hunt is playable from December 17 through December 30.

Tuesday, December 21: The Talking Drum

In this interactive program, Joseph Ngwa, ancestral master drummer from Cameroon, Africa, demonstrates how the talking drum (timdene or dundun) is used to transmit messages and meaning through various sounds. This event repeats December 21. Free. For reservations and information, call 202-633-4844. Anacostia Museum, 10:30 AM

Wednesday, December 22: Book Signing and Talk: Tripp Evans

Author Trip Evans will discuss and sign copies of Grant Wood: A Life, his biography of the master American painter. Copies of the book will be available for purchase in the museum shop. Free. Portrait Gallery, 12:00 PM.

Thursday, December 23: IMAX

Baby, it’s cold outside—so come on in and enjoy an IMAX movie. Theaters are located in the Natural History Museum, the Air and Space Museum and the Udvar-Hazy Center. In addition to short films—like “Dinosaurs” and “Legends of Flight”—catch a screening of the full-length feature Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Check out this site for a full film schedule and to buy tickets online. Tickets may also be purchased at the IMAX box office at the museums.

Friday, December 24: Robert F. Door will be available to autograph his book Hell Hawks!: The Untold Story of the American Fliers Who Savaged Hitler’s Wehrmacht. Free. Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, 12:00-4:00 PM.

Saturday, December 25: Smithsonian is CLOSED

Sorry kids! This is the one day out of the year that the Smithsonian is closed. It’s a good day to spend time with family and friends, enjoy a meal, take in a movie—I’m sure you’ll figure out something spectacular. Merry Christmas!

Sunday, December 26: Book Signing: Mark James

Author Mark James signs copies of his children’s book and coloring book Christopher’s Little Airplane. Copies of the book will be available for purchase in the museum shop. Free. Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center 10:00 AM-5:00 PM.

For updates on all exhibitions and events, visit our companion site goSmithsonian.com