[15] Arrangements were also made to have 3,000 city school children present to sing Christmas carols and the United States Marine Band to play music. "Snyder Relents on Statue. National Park Service. [159] The Pageant of Peace continued to feature just 57 trees,[160] but there was competition over the nativity scene (which was no longer part of the festival). National Capital Region. [162] Once more, three different organizations provided three different nativity scenes away from the pageant. "Shining Through Trials, Trauma. ", Camp, Patricia. [28] President Coolidge briefly addressed the crowd, beginning a tradition of a brief presidential speech during the ceremony. A third display was provided by the Christian Service Corps (a nondenominational Christian organization whose members mixed public service with missionary work). [233], Aristo-Craft Trains originally donated, set up, and ran the model trains at the base of the tree. [10], At 3 p.m. on December 24, 1923, a 100-voice choir from the First Congregational Church assembled on the South Portico of the White House and began a two-hour concert of Christmas carols. Pageant. The Park Service used no cut trees,[152] but instead obtained 57 live trees and planted them on the Ellipse. [18], The 1924 ceremony changed significantly. No date. )[156] A second tree, an 18-foot (5.5m) tall blue spruce purchased from a nursery in New Jersey, was planted in a corner of the Ellipse in early summer 1978 for use as a spare in case the new transplanted tree did not survive. ", Meyer, Eugene L. "Event Cancellations Leave Display Firm on Sidelines. [34] In 1928, the time of the lighting ceremony was again moved to 8 p.m.[35] That year, the Christmas lights were replaced completely by colored floodlights. ", "Roosevelt to Light National Christmas Tree Here Sunday. "Reindeer" (actually fallow deer from Virginia) returned to the pageant the following year. "1954-1960 National Christmas Trees." President's Park (The White House). Between 5,000 and 6,000 people thronged the park, joined by 3,000 more people by 9 p.m.[17][18] The crowds were joined by the Epiphany Church and First Congregational Church choirs, which sang carols, and the Marine Band, which played Christmas-themed music. [153] In early 1974, a low stone wall was constructed around the National Christmas Tree to provide partial protection for its roots, and currently serves as the limit of the planting bed below the tree. 2004 Christmas Pageant of Peace brochure, p. 2. President's Park (The White House). [85] The peace theme was intended to echo the words of the angels ("Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men")[86] announcing the birth of Jesus to shepherds as described in the New Testament.
[197] In 1991, President Bush presided over the tree-lighting ceremony with five Americans who had recently been released by their kidnappers in Lebanon: journalist Terry A. Anderson, university employee Joseph Cicippio, professor Alann Steen, professor Thomas Sutherland, and professor Jesse Turner. In 1971, the National Park Service revealed that it required four trees to be selected as "the" National Christmas Tree. No date. [141] The weekend before the tree lighting ceremony, the tree blew over in high winds and several cut branches had to be attached to the tree to replace damaged ones. [138] The National Christmas Tree used a blue, white, and yellow lighting scheme in 1968. ", "Christmas Tree Lighting Decision Expected Friday. A study by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory showed that solar lighting could be used to help illuminate the tree during the daytime, and the lights (donated by the United States Department of Energy) were used. "Pageant Differs From Christmas Past. Suncatchers were used also again. [31] The 70-voice First Congregational Church choir sang the carol for the Coolidges, accompanied by buglers and flute provided by the U.S. Army Band. [218] The dead tree was cut down. A new contractor, Westport Marketing Group, was also hired to manage the tree lighting ceremony. [9] Vermont Republican Senator Frank L. Greene accompanied Feiker to the White House, where they successfully convinced Coolidge to light the tree. ", Prince, Richard E. "10,000 See President Light Yule Tree. [149] The American Mining Congress declined to supply the smaller trees in 1972, so the state of Pennsylvania agreed to do so. Schiavo, Laura. The train expanded from two trains to nine trains and three trolley lines (running in more than 1,000 feet (300m) of track) in 2008. [62][77] Television coverage continued to expand in the following years. The appearance of the tree had deteriorated significantly, with many of the lower branches dead or damaged and many parts of the tree showing large areas of dead needles. The White House paid $180,633 for the 2019 lighting ceremony, which was the third in which President Donald Trump participated. [188] President Reagan resumed his involvement with the tree lighting ceremony in 1985, when he and Nancy Reagan jointly lit the tree via remote control while standing on the South Portico of the White House. "President Lights Tree to Launch D.C. "Christmas at Washington.". [20][26] The organization donated the strings of lights to the federal government. "Chanukah Remarks at the Lighting of the National Menorah." "1981-1988 National Christmas Trees." [195] The 1987 tree lighting ceremony was held on December 7 (almost a week early) due to the arrival of Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev for a summit meeting to be held December 8. This made room for more performers. [168] President Carter, assisted by his wife Rosalynn and daughter Amy, lit the newly transplanted National Christmas Tree on December 15, 1978. [118] But the embassies were invited to participate again in 1959, and did so. "1993-2000 National Christmas Trees." The year 1994 also saw the first commercial sales of official National Christmas Tree items. The species, height, and sources of these trees have varied widely over time. [31], Over the next few years, the annual National Community Christmas Tree lighting ceremony changed in only minor ways such as the timing and the use of illumination. [58] The tradition of the "Singing Tree" was discontinued in this year, however. Cut evergreen trees were used in 1923 and from 1954 to 1972. [180] A new aluminum menorah replaced the steel one in 1998. [101], President Eisenhower lit the tree in front of 7,500 people. ", "Wider E Street at 'Bottleneck' Wins Approval. [124] The Washington Post reported that embassies did not provide trees or symbols for the Pathway of Peace, instead participating in a 6music festival at Lisner Auditorium on December 26. The reasons for this move are varied. A request to honor Vietnam War veterans during the ceremony was turned down to keep the focus on Christmas. The statue of the homeless family was erected on Christmas Eve just outside the fence from the official pageant. ", Fernandez, Manny and Hsu, Spencer S. "Security Tightened For Tree Lighting. On December 11, a federal district judge ruled against the organization. The appellate court held that the commercial nature of the event did not mean that the creche lost its religious meaning, and that the government's involvement in displaying the creche was not the absolute minimum necessary to meet the Supreme Court's constitutional tests. National Park Service.
The model train was provided again by Aristo-Craft, with financial, set-up, and other assistance from the National Capital Trackers (a model train enthusiasts group). [170] When cut trees were used, backup trees were also identified. "President Honors Former Hostages At National Tree-Lighting Ceremony. [200], To celebrate the millennium on December 31, 1999, the National Christmas Tree's lights turned white at midnight. CNN. [233] The tree is pruned yearly,[233] and fertilized every three years. "Gorbachev Arrives, Urging Progress on Broader Treaty. "1977-1980 National Christmas Trees." ", Wolhowe, Cathe. [164], By December 1976, it was clear that the National Christmas Tree planted just three years earlier was dying. [141] No anti-war protests occurred during the tree lighting ceremony in 1970, however. [141] There were 57 trees representing the 50 U.S. states and territories at the Pageant of Peace, with another 75 evergreen trees for decoration. [241] Beginning in 1973, the American Christian Heritage Association (a group based in Prince George's County, Maryland) began hosting a private nativity display complete with live animals on The Ellipse. ", Thomson, Robert. [78] That year, for the first time since 1938, the "Singing Tree" returned. [165][166] The new tree was planted on the Ellipse on November 3, 1977. [205][207], Major changes to the lighting display and ornaments were made after 2001. [190] As the Pageant of Peace opened, the Community for Creative Non-Violence (CCNV; an advocacy organization for the homeless led by Mitch Snyder) sued to have a life-size statue of three homeless people huddled over a steam grate included in the event.
This tree is located southwest of Ellipse Road, where the path from the 17th Street NW and Constitution Avenue NW meets the Ellipse sidewalk. The petting zoo was canceled due to cost concerns, but for the first time each state or territory donated the ornaments to be used on their tree lining the Pathway of Peace. [170] Agency officials traveled more than 2,000 miles (3,200km) to find a tree that met their specifications. ", Simpson, Anne. [27] Power was provided by the Potomac Electric Power Company via an open manhole on the plaza. ", "Embassy Trees Missing From Pageant of Peace. President's Park (The White House). "Reagan Lights National Christmas Tree. [200] But in 1998, tree grower Ron Hudler of North Carolina agreed to begin donating cut trees for the festival. [158] The Barkdoll display included four sheep, a donkey, and a Holstein calf. [42] The West Wing, including the Oval Office, was gutted and had to be rebuilt. Once more, the Park Service said the nativity scene was merely a symbol of "our spiritual heritage" and "wholly secular". [233] By 2008, sponsorship of the train had expanded to include Bachmann Industries, BridgeWorks, Garden Metal Models, Hartland Locomotive Works, LGB, Mainline America, Sound Traxx, Split Jaw Rail Clamps, and USA Trains. December 17, 1979. National Park Service. (Patricia also recalls a December 1954 Washington Post article about the incident under a headline that included "Shepherds in Sidecars," but she does not have access to the article. [88] President Dwight Eisenhower approved the plan on November 4,1953,[87] and the first pageant entitled Christmas Pageant of Peace[90] was held on the Ellipse December 17, 1954. ", Hodge, Paul and Weil, Martin. ", "Talking About Peace, President Lights Tree. [108] President Eisenhower had suffered a serious heart attack on September 24, 1955, and was recuperating at his farm near Gettysburg, Pennsylvania,[110] so the tree was lit remotely once more. Park Cultural Landscapes Program, p. 125. ", "Roosevelt, Churchill Voice Faith to War-Weary World. U.S. Department of the Interior. Officials said the cost of transporting the animals to and from Maine was too prohibitive. CNN.com. ", "National Christmas Tree Misses Own Swan Song. ", Oberdorfer, Don and Cannon, Lou. [211] According to the National Park Service officials, the tree was 100 times more energy efficient than in 2006[205] although the lighting designer from General Electric said it was just 60 percent more energy efficient. The government argued that it had to avoid any appearance of government sponsorship of any religion and to be even-handed with all groups. [40] To prevent the tree from being damaged during the decoration process, scaffolding was erected around the tree instead of placing ladders into the branches; less heavy strings of lights with lower wattage were used; and a low fence was erected around the tree so that its roots would not be trampled. Schiavo, Laura. [168] It was relit for the returning hostages on January 27. ", Personal recollection by Edward M. Kirby's daughters Kip and Patricia. [9] The branches on the lower 10 feet (3.0m) of the tree were damaged in transit, so cut branches from a local evergreen were tied to the tree to restore its appearance. [163] However, there were now 60 trees in the Pathway to Peace. [66][67] Another 2,000 to 3,000 people waited outside the fence. ", Alexander, Keith L. "Throwing Light on A Holiday Tradition. An American Legion post from Hyattsville, Maryland, erected a similar but smaller display on the opposite side of the Ellipse. ", "While House Christmas Tree Arrangements Completed. [28] The National Park Service believes this tree was obtained from the Office of Public Buildings and Public Parks of the National Capitol, an independent federal agency, in the spring of 1931. [232] By 2008, after the switch to LED lights, it took six to seven strings of clear LEDs lights to decorate each state tree. ", "Eisenhower Will Light Christmas Tree Early.". [144] (The anti-war display was set up on the Washington Monument grounds instead.) The NPS said it had already identified a Colorado spruce as a replacement. "250 Gather to Protest Viet War. [129][130] That year, the General Electric company began donating the lights for the tree, changing the lighting set every year. "Menorah Evokes Parallels in History. [141] Prodded by environmentalists, a much larger letter-writing campaign ("more letters and phone calls of protest than in the previous 10 years" a Park Service spokesperson said) occurred in the two months prior to the 1972 tree lighting ceremony, which prompted the National Park Service to bow to public pressure and plant a live tree. "1924-1933 National Christmas Trees." [246] The Anti-Defamation League of B'nai B'rith protested its inclusion. ", A contemporary source put the tree's height at 45 feet (14m). [204] Clowns, a magician, and a juggler were added to help lighten the crowd's mood. [187] The year 1981 also marked the beginning of a number of changes to the Pageant of Peace. Wires were attached to the tree to help stabilize it, and a special base (hidden by mulch and soil) surrounded the roots to help prevent flooding. Weil, Martin. In 1952, however, a group of Catholic Church sodalities asked that a nativity scene be included in the ceremony,[62] repeating the request in 1953. After the white residents of the city had dispersed, African American residents of the city were permitted on the park grounds to see the National Christmas Tree. [247] The same year, additional Jewish groups challenged the existence of the National Menorah as equally offensive to the constitutional principal of separation of church and state. [215] The new tree was planted on March 19, 2011. The National Christmas Tree is a large evergreen tree located in the northeast quadrant of the Ellipse near the White House in Washington, D.C. Each year since 1923, the tree has been decorated as a Christmas tree. The Commission opposed the plan, and suggested that two fir trees be planted east and west of the statue instead. [53] The box was definitely in use by 1937. [14][24] The tree was planted by the American Forestry Association[25] and decorated with 1,000 red, white, and green lights and white electric candles again provided by the Electric League of Washington. [62][63] As with the trees in Lafayette Park, they were to be used in alternate years. The lighting ceremony was pushed back to 6 p.m. in 1925[24] to better accommodate children's bedtimes. "How Lovely Are Thy Middle-Aged Branches. ", Sadler, Christine. National Park Service. [147] There were 56 trees in Pageant of Peace, plus an extra tree for POW/MIAs. )[234] The lights and decorations do not actually hang from the National Christmas Tree itself. [158], Energy conserving lights were used on the National Christmas Tree in 1974, however. Park Service officials feared the National Christmas Tree would be toppled, and attached guy-wires to the tree to keep it upright. [232], The 8 feet (2.4m) high Fraser Firs for the Pathway of Peace are cut in early November. [21], Will H. Hays, chairman of the Republican National Committee, was also chairman of Amawalk Nursery, and Hays arranged for a live, 30-year-old,[22] 35-foot (11m) Norway spruce to be delivered to the capital. [54], The tradition of using a briefly-transplanted tree occurred again in 1940. [210] A three-dimensional star made of Lexan topped the tree. National Capital Region. [223], Contractors begin soliciting ornaments for the trees along the Pathway of Peace about the same time, usually around a theme. Montgomery, David. "National Park Service to Plant New National Christmas Tree". National Capital Region. There was also discussion of moving the entire event into the White House, but these suggestions were not acted on. [239] Although the trial was set for February 1, 1971, the plaintiffs and ACLU declined to seek a temporary injunction against the display in December 1970 in favor of a permanent resolution of the issue. [109] Most of the goods and services that made the first Pageant of Peace possible were donated. "Eight Days, Eight Ways. [212] The agency says that the tree has become "a defining feature of President's Park South". U.S. Department of the Interior. President's Park (The White House). However, traditional bulbs were still used in the ornaments. [122] Just 16 U.S. states provide trees for the Pathway of Peace. ", "Yuletide Services to Be Held For All in Capital Tonight.
", Ly, Phuong. National Park Service. 1088, (D.D.C. [232] The tree is also checked so that rodents do not take up residence in its roots or branches. [237] A plywood nativity scene, 15-by-10-foot (4.6 by 3.0m) Yule log fire pit, and barn for donkeys, reindeer, and sheep are built south of the Pathway of Peace. Schiavo, Laura. Jackson. [205] That same year, the tree lighting ceremony was officially named the Lighting of the National Christmas Tree. [188], President George H. W. Bush resumed the tradition of lighting the National Christmas Tree from a platform on The Ellipse in 1989. Pepco supplied the Christmas lights and power. [176], 1979 also marked the first appearance of the National Menorah commemorating Hanukkah. "U.S. Court Overrules Ruling on Peace Signs. Hinson, Tamara. Barker, Karlyn. "Ceremony Brings Oohs, Aahs to Ellipse. National Capital Region. The Hyattsville American Legion provided a display with life-size papier-mch figures and live animals including some sheep, a calf, and a burro. [140] Eight adults and a youth were arrested during the event for disorderly conduct. Watt. The lone exception was in 1950, when crowds were kept outside the fences due to renovations going on at the White House.[81]. [27][30] It was the only year a switch was used; before and since, a button has been pushed. The year 1992 was also the year that the National Christmas Tree and Pageant of Peace was featured on the official White House House Christmas card. [170] This tree was planted by the National Park Service as a replacement for the National Christmas Tree. No date. The state and territory trees had the same color lights and were decorated with ornaments made from the state or territory they represented. Rather, they hang from guy-wires which run up the sides of the tree. See: The date of this move is not clearly established, but definitely had occurred by 1987. "[156] Initially, the General Electric company, which had been donating the lighting for the tree for years, developed a "cool lighting" system to help protect the tree from the heat damage caused by standard Christmas tree lights. [196] American Marketing (the former Westport Marking) again proposed the sale of a tree ornament and was again turned down. Folliard, Edward T. "Eisenhower Sets Peace Tree Aglow. [184] The lights on the 1981 tree suffered from faulty wiring, and could not be lit on the final night of the event (January 1, 1982). In 1953, The New York Times reported that millions of Americans were watching the ceremony on television. [87] The concept evolved into a three-week-long series of nightly performances and religious observances. There were 105 large snowflake ornaments (each lit from within by 25 clear incandescent lights) with holographic blue vinyl accents, and a three-dimensional snowflake tree topper. "Antiwar Signs Allowed Next to Yule Pageant. [52], New star-shaped Christmas tree lights were used in 1935, but some were stolen the week after Christmas. Ten minutes after the tree was lit, the star and many lights near the top of the tree went out. [88], The tree chosen for the first Pageant of Peace was a 67-foot (20m) tall balsam fir from northern Michigan, decorated with 2,100 red, blue, and gold lights and topped by a brilliant white star.
President's Park (The White House). [189] Westport Marketing Group proposed selling a National Christmas Tree ornament to raise money for the pageant, but the idea was discarded because it illegally commercialized a national civic event. [205][209] In 2004, holographic suncatchers were first used as ornaments on the tree, to help make it sparkle during daylight hours.
Because President Hoover and his family were vacationing away from Washington, Vice President Charles Curtis lit the tree at 5 p.m. on December 24. [140] The 1969 ceremony was interrupted by about 200 individuals protesting the Vietnam War, who repeatedly heckled the president during his short speech and who temporarily planted an 8-foot (2.4m) tall "peace tree" a few yards from the National Christmas Tree. [232], Hargrove Inc., a company which provides trade show and custom exhibits, begins decorating all the trees with the lights and decorations about 10 days before the tree lighting ceremony is set to occur. [15] Two live, 35-foot (11m) high Oriental spruce trees[61] were taken from the White House grounds itself and planted 100 feet (30m) north of the south fence of the White House, each about 25 feet, 7.6m off the northsouth axis with the Jefferson Memorial. [222][223] The lighting scheme used 60,000 LED lights strung in 110 nets and 225 strings, and 265 spherical ornaments. [19] Feiker believed this was the end of the Christmas tree lighting ceremony, but his wife suggested that a live tree be used instead. [20] Feiker, accompanied by T. H. Ormesby of the Society for Electrical Development and Republican Representative Hamilton Fish II of New York, extended the invitation to light the tree to Coolidge on December 6, which he again accepted. [168] The tree itself was trimmed with silver balls and white garland, and a complex, changing lighting scheme (also in white) designed. "A 'NEW IDEA' for a Presidential Tradition." ", Gross, Gerald G. "Leaders of Democracies Key Their Speeches To Christmas Spirit at Tree Lighting. Instead of multicolored lights, in 1964 the tree was lit with 5,000 red bulbs. [147] The tree-topper that year resembled a white snowflake,[141] while the tree itself was decorated with red and white bulbs in clusters amid a wider blanket of gold lights. ", "Coolidges Sing Christmas Carols at Community Tree. [48] To discourage future thefts, a temporary low octagonal fence was constructed around the 1936 tree. The five plaintiffs were represented by the ACLU, and joined by the American Jewish Congress. ", "President Lights Capital Yule Tree Before Thousands. In addition to the life-size nativity scene, Yule log, stage, and live reindeer, the International Paper Company donated 80 small cut Christmas trees decorated with white lights and erected in the shape of a "Cross of Peace" on the Ellipse. Schiavo, Laura. ", Moreno, Sylvia. 2013. U.S. Department of the Interior. [141] But on September 26, 1973, a unanimous three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. President's Park (The White House). [205] National Capital Trackers as well as other model railroading groups continued to set up, run, and maintain the model train. [178][179] By 1987, the National Menorah had been moved to The Ellipse. A temporary black plastic walkway is laid down to provide pedestrian access (the actual Pathway of Peace), and the trees guarded by a white vinyl picket fence. [156] The bronze plaque at the base of the tree was altered slightly to reflect the new date of the tree's transplanting (October 11, 1978). May 5, 2012. "U.S. Has 4 National Christmas Trees. [121], President John F. Kennedy did not light the tree in December 1961, because his father, Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr., had suffered a major stroke; so Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson lit the tree. Schiavo, Laura. [188], In 1984, First Lady Nancy Reagan lit the National Christmas Tree from the stage on The Ellipse. "Truman Proposes Peace Dedication. ", Graff, p. 50; "Headquarters of Roosevelt & Co.", "Curtis Marks Debut of Yule at Ceremony. [169], The National Park Service undertook a lengthy study to find a species of tree that could thrive in the climate and soil conditions of the capital and better withstand the annual decoration process. The 1940 tree was a 34-foot (10m) high red cedar. SABIC Innovative Plastics donated the Lexan used to make the ornaments. Creating the design of the National Christmas Tree and organizing the Pageant of Peace is a year-long process. Clary, Glen. ", Radcliffe, Donnie. Michigan State College provided the tree and the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad and Norfolk Southern Railway the transportation to bring the tree to Washington. [123] The tree lighting occurred three days earlier than usual because President Kennedy had been scheduled to leave for Bermuda to meet with British Prime Minister Harold Macmillan. [200][232] (As of 2001, Hargrove had decorated the tree every year since 1954. In 1999, the Washington Post reported that General Electric (GE) lighting designers begin sketching plans for the lighting scheme in March.
[10][20][23] The tree arrived in the city on December 13[22] and was planted on December 17 on the west side of Sherman Plaza a patio, garden, and public square just south of the Treasury Building and its adjacent Alexander Hamilton Place. No date. "Christmas Tree-Lighting Restrictions Are Lifted. ", Fernandez, Manny. The incandescent tree lights changed from gold to green and back again continuously. [87][91] A cut tree was used because Park Service officials felt that a living tree would interfere with various cultural and recreational events on the Ellipse at other times of the year. In 1969, three clergymen, an atheist, and a member of the Ethical Society sued to have the nativity scene removed. ", Leviero, Anthony. For roughly 15 years, the ceremony had remained largely the same: a local choir would sing some carols; a military service band would play a selection of Christmas music for a half-hour before the president emerged to speak briefly and light the tree; a member of the Boy Scouts of America and either the Girl Scouts of the USA or the Camp Fire Girls would greet the president on behalf of the people of the city of Washington; after the president returned to the White House, the band would play more music for a half-hour; and then the public would be cleared from the area. [48] For a time, the National Park Service hoped to plant two trees of an undetermined species on the Ellipse near the White House, but in the end acceded to the Commission's plan. Other vendors begin contacting nationally known singers, performers, and the providers of children's characters (such as Warner Bros. "The Bauble That Didn't Burst. A garland of twinkling white 7-inch (18cm) spherical ornaments were also added. [232] Various contractors build the decorations, depending on what is required. U.S. Department of the Interior. [84] The American Ice Co. provided the man-made snow. [210] GE changes the design every year. [228], A temporary gravel road is constructed in the northeast quadrant of the Ellipse each year to give workers access to the tree for decoration. [156][172], The tree was topped off by First Daughter Amy Carter on December 5, 1978, a ceremony which began a new tradition of having a member of the President or Vice President's family top off the tree (a tradition observed every year since except in 1980). [44] It was also the first year of the use of recorded music, with loudspeakers concealed in the branches of the tree and connected to a phonograph in a nearby police booth to play Christmas carols every night from 6 to 10 p.m. until New Year's Day. 
[102] Movie actor Robert Montgomery, who served as Eisenhower's advisor on the president's television appearances, was also present.