    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1996, Book II)]
    [December 20, 1996]
    [Pages 2228-2229]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks at the White House Children's Christmas Party
    December 20, 1996

        The President. Thank you. Give them a hand. Weren't they great?
    [Applause] Hello.
        Children. Hello. Hi, Bill Clinton.
        The President. Thank you, Antonio. Welcome to the White House. We're
    very glad to have you here. Every year the First Lady and I love to meet
    with some children about this time and read the night before Christmas
    story, because Christmas is really a time for children, isn't it?
        Children. Yes.
        The President. And a time when we give gifts to each other and to
    our children to say how important you are. And it's a very special time
    for us. You know, Hillary wrote a book about children and families, and
    just today she gave a great gift--she gave the money that came in from
    the book to children's hospitals all across the country and to other
    things for children.
        And one of the things that we hope will come out of this is that not
    only all of you here but all the children all over our country will feel
    very special; and as Christmas celebrates the birth of Baby Jesus, that
    all the little children in our country will feel that they are very,
    very special.
        So I want you to listen carefully to this story. A lot of you know
    this story, don't you?
        Children. Yes.

    [[Page 2229]]

        The President. Do you?
        Hillary Clinton. You can chime in.
        The President. So you can chime in. If you know any of the lines
    when I read it in this wonderful book--see the pictures, can you see
    it--you say the lines, too. Okay? Okay, here we go. ``The Visit of Saint
    Nicholas.''

    Note: The President spoke at 1:47 p.m. in the East Room at the White
    House. Prior to his remarks, a group of carolers sang for the audience.