What are the origins of this fun-filled festive custom?
The former president was drenched by rain and snow while riding and is said not to have changed his wet clothes because he was in a hurry. The next morning George Washington had a sore throat, and the next day he fell ill. After the doctors bled him a few times, Washington died on December 14, 1799, at the age of 67. The cause of death was "fulminant acute epiglottitis," according to the medical report.
Adams had an exceptional lifespan, reaching the age of 90. This is remarkable for someone who lived with heart problems in the mid-18th to early 19th century. Adams reportedly died of a heart attack on July 4, 1826, during the celebration of the Declaration of Independence. For 178 years, Adams remained the longest-living American president until Ronald Reagan died at the age of 93 (only to be surpassed himself).
Thomas Jefferson and his predecessor, John Adams, both passed away on July 4, 1826. Jefferson struggled with various health problems including rheumatism, septicemia, kidney disease, and possibly undiagnosed prostate cancer. Jefferson became bedridden on June 26 and died a few days later at the age of 83. The exact cause of death remains unknown.
In the last years of his life, President James Madison suffered from liver dysfunction and chronic rheumatism. Before he died of heart failure on June 28, 1836, Madison told his niece, "I always talk better lying down." He was 85 years old.
James Monroe, the fifth president of the United States, passed away in New York City on July 4, 1831, at the age of 73. He had previously battled malaria, but later experienced lung complications, potentially due to tuberculosis.
The sixth President of the United States and son of former President John Adams suffered a stroke on February 21, 1848 and died 48 hours later at the age of 80.
Andrew Jackson had various health issues such as chronic diarrhea, dropsy, tuberculosis, and fluid retention. He passed away on June 8, 1845, at the age of 78 shortly after an unsuccessful operation to drain gastric fluids.
Martin Van Buren's health deteriorated rapidly due to pneumonia and later bronchial asthma. He died of heart failure on July 24, 1862 at the age of 79.
After the president gave a long speech at his inauguration in cold and rainy weather, he caught a cold. This developed into pneumonia, and shortly thereafter he was bedridden and died on April 4, 1841. Harrison, who was 68 years old, was in office for only 31 days, making it the shortest presidency in American history.
William Henry Harrison's vice president, John Tyler, took over the presidency after his death. John Tyler died of a stroke on January 18, 1862. He was 71 years old.
James K. Polk succumbed to cholera in his home on July 15, 1849. He was 53 years old and had retired from his presidential duties only three months earlier.
On July 4, 1850, President Zachary Taylor fell ill with severe diarrhea after drinking a lot of ice-cold buttermilk and eating raw vegetables and cherries. Taylor died, while in office, on July 9 at the age of 65. It's suspected that he contracted cholera from one of the foods he ate. His body was exhumed and examined in 2014 after poisoning was suspected, but no evidence was found.
The former president successfully recovered from a stroke he suffered while shaving on February 13, 1874. On February 26, however, he suffered another stroke that left him incapacitated. He passed away on March 8 at the age of 74.
President Franklin Pierce struggled with alcoholism especially after the deaths of his sons and wife. He fell ill and was diagnosed with dropsy, but the actual cause of death was cirrhosis of the liver. Pierce passed away on October 8, 1869 at the age of 64.
James Buchanan passed away on June 1, 1868, at the age of 77. Although he was diagnosed with rheumatic gout, pneumonia was probably the actual cause of his death.
Abraham Lincoln, the first American president to be assassinated, was shot by John Wilkes Booth at Ford's Theater in Washington, D.C., on April 14, 1865. Tragically, Lincoln's life ended nine hours later, on April 15, at the age of 56.
Andrew Johnson had a stroke on July 28, 1875, and survived! But unfortunately, he suffered another stroke the next day, which left him in a coma. Johnson died on July 31 at the age of 66.
The 63-year-old former president died of throat cancer on July 23, 1885.
Rutherford B. Hayes passed away on January 17, 1893 at the age of 70 as a result of a heart attack. He died in the arms of his son.
On July 2, 1881, Charles Guiteau shot the president twice. After an unsanitary procedure to try and remove one of the bullets, Garfield developed sepsis. Sadly, President Garfield died an agonizing and painful death on September 19 at the age of 49.
President Arthur suffered from Bright's disease (now known as nephritis), a kidney condition that worsened his health until he died on November 18, 1886 at the age of 57.
Former President Grover Cleveland suffered a heart attack on July 23, 1908, and passed away the next day at his home at the age of 71.
Benjamin Harrison was the grandson of the ninth American president, William Henry Harrison. He died on March 13, 1901, as a result of pneumonia. He was 67 years old.
William McKinley was the third president to be assassinated. He was shot by anarchist Leon Czolgosz in Buffalo, New York, on September 6, 1901. McKinley recovered, but then died of gangrene and subsequent blood poisoning on September 14 at the age of 58.
Although the former president struggled with health problems such as malaria and inflammatory rheumatism, he did not die from any of these diseases. Instead, Theodore Roosevelt died as a result of a blood clot. He was 60 years old when he passed away in his sleep at home on January 6, 1919.
William Howard Taft had problems with his weight and developed various health issues, such as heart disease and high blood pressure. On March 8, 1930, at the age of 72, he passed away due to complications related to his health.
President Wilson had a stroke on October 2, 1919, which severely weakened him. He passed away on February 3, 1924, at the age of 67.
The president, aged 57, passed away from a heart attack on August 2, 1923, while touring the nation.
Calvin Coolidge was 60 years old when his wife found him dead on the bathroom floor after a heart attack on January 5, 1933.
The former president had to battle three serious illnesses during the last two years of his life. In August 1962, a growth on his large intestine was surgically removed. Two years later, on October 20, 1964, he died in New York City at the age of 90 as a result of a massive internal bleeding.
President Franklin D. Roosevelt suffered from several health problems, including high blood pressure and heart and lung issues. Roosevelt died of a brain hemorrhage on April 12, 1945. He was 63 years old and less than three months into his fourth term as president.
President Harry Truman's health began to decline after he began suffering from lung congestion. Just a few days later, on December 26, 1972, Truman passed away due to "old age," He was 88.
The President had his first heart attack on September 24, 1955, followed by two more in 1965 and 1968. The 78-year-old succumbed to his fourth, fatal heart attack on March 28, 1969.
John F. Kennedy was tragically killed by Lee Harvey Oswald in Dallas, Texas, on November 22, 1963. The assassination of the 46-year-old President was broadcast live on television.
President Lyndon B. Johnson had two heart attacks before dying of a fatal third on January 22, 1973, at the age of 64.
Richard Nixon suffered a severe stroke on April 18, 1994, which caused his brain to swell and left him in a deep coma. He finally died on April 22 at the age of 81.
President Ford suffered from arteriosclerosis, which affected his brain and led to his death. He died on December 26, 2006, exactly 34 years after the death of President Harry S. Truman. He was 93 years old.
Alzheimer's disease began to seriously affect Reagan's health and eventually led to his death at home on June 5, 2004, at the age of 93.
Former President George H.W. Bush, who battled Parkinson's disease, passed away on November 30, 2018, just eight months after the death of his wife Barbara. He was 94 years old.
Sources: (Grunge) ('The President Is Dead!' by Louis L. Picone) (Miller Center)
See also: The dying words of 32 US presidents
Since the death of George Washington on December 14, 1799, the United States has lost 39 of its presidents. Although the exact causes of death are not clear for all of them, it is certain that some of them met unnatural, painful ends. The oldest president to pass away was George H. W. Bush at the ripe old age of 94, while the life of the youngest, John F. Kennedy, ended tragically at the age of 46.
This gallery gives an insight into the different circumstances surrounding the death of each American president, from assassinations to heart attacks and more.
Click through to find out how each US president died.
From alcoholism to assassination: How every US President died
The White House has seen many tragedies over the years
LIFESTYLE Usa
Since the death of George Washington on December 14, 1799, the United States has lost 39 of its presidents. Although the exact causes of death are not clear for all of them, it is certain that some of them met unnatural, painful ends. The oldest president to pass away was George H. W. Bush at the ripe old age of 94, while the life of the youngest, John F. Kennedy, ended tragically at the age of 46.
This gallery gives an insight into the different circumstances surrounding the death of each American president, from assassinations to heart attacks and more.
Click through to find out how each US president died.