The day after Christmas was nice so we all headed out to George Washington's Mount Vernon to hang out with the Christmas Camel.

Never heard of a Christmas Camel?

 
Aladdin is so disappointed in you.

George Washington, like many of his contemporaries, enjoyed the entertainment of exotic animals.  Washington recorded paying to see a "Lyoness," a "Tyger," and even spent $1.75 to see an elephant.  During the Christmas season of 1787, Washington paid 18 shillings to bring a camel to Mount Vernon for the enjoyment of his family and friends.  Aladdin, a seven-year-old camel, from Virginia, will live here at Mount Vernon until January 6th.

This is actually something I've heard of in the past but never really made note of it in my brain until we happened upon the Christmas Camel.  Some part of my brain thinks Aladdin should be wearing a Christmas wreath, but I'm guessing at some point, someone tried and he'd had none of it.