1 of 2 | U.S. President Joe Biden arrives to speak at the 102nd National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony on the Ellipse at The White House and President’s Park in Washington, DC on Thursday. This year’s tree is a 35-foot Red Spruce from the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests in Virginia. Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI. |
License PhotoDec. 5 (UPI) — More than 2.5 miles of twinkling lights adorn this year’s National Christmas Tree in Washington, D.C., stationed prominently on the Ellipse at The White House. Officials flipped the switch the lights on Thursday evening.
This year’s tree is a 35-foot-tall red spruce from the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests in Virginia, according to the National Park Service, and took its place in the spotlight as one of the U.S.’s most prominent and traditional symbols of Christmas in the nation’s capitol.
From the middle of the Virginia forest to the center of national attention and anticipation, the tree made its prime-time debut Thursday evening surrounded by show business stars, including Adam Blackstone, Stephen Sanchez, James Taylor, Muni Long, Trombone Shorty, The War And Treaty, and Trisha Yearwood, according to a National Christmas Tree Lighting release.
“The tree stands as a daily reminder of the holiday spirit and of this cherished national tradition,” the release said.
The tree is adorned with one-of-a-kind ornaments made by Americans representing every state and territory, as well as the District of Columbia.
Crews trucked an 80-foot tall Sitka Spruce from Wrangell, AK to serve as the Capitol Christmas three this year.
The National Christmas Tree has been a tradition for more than 100 years. For the last half century, the National Christmas Tree has been selected from one of the U.S.’s 154 National Forests.
The National Christmas Tree lighting stretches to 1923 when President Calvin Coolidge walked from the White House to the Ellipse to light a 48-foot fir tree boasting 2,500 electric red, white and green bulbs, as a local choir and a quartet from the U.S. Marine Band performed.
This was President Joe Biden‘s final National Christmas Tree lightning ceremony prior to leaving office. He said the event is one of his wife Jill’s favorites, but regrets that she could not be there because she is in Qatar discussing women’s health issues.
CBS will rebroadcast the tree lightening ceremony on December 20th.
