While leading his final Christmas lighting of the tree at the White House, Joe Biden on Thursday said his wish for the nation now and always is “that we continue to seek the light of freedom and love, kindness and compassion, dignity and decency.”
Biden spoke briefly to the crowd, which was clad in heavy winter layers as cold winds and freezing temperatures hit the nation’s capital. vice president Kamala Harris and her husband, Doug Emhoff, were also in attendance. The tree is placed on the Ellipse, beyond the South Lawn of the White House and is visible from the streets.
The 30-foot red spruce comes from Mount Rogers National Recreation Area in Grayson County, Virginia. He was transferred to the White House on November 15.
This is the last vacation for Biden. His wife, Jill, has decorated the White House with whimsical decorations to evoke the “peace and light” of the season. She missed the lights this year because she was in Doha, Qatar, discussing her women’s health initiative.
So Biden did the honors himself, counting down from five before the tree lit up a cheery bright green from top to bottom of the trunk. He wished the crowd a Merry Christmas before coming down to take his place for musical performances.
Biden said the theme reflects “the peace we feel as we pause and reflect on our blessings and the light we see when we gather with loved ones and cherish our time together.”
The tree lighting ceremony is an annual tradition. On Thursday, Trombone Shorty and Trisha Yearwood were among the performers.
The White House Christmas display features a towering tree surrounded by an amusement park-style carousel, brass bells and sleigh bells lining the hallway, and a ceiling design that mimics snowfall.
This tree came from a farm in Newland, North Carolina, where Hurricane Helene hit earlier this year. Cartner’s Christmas Tree Farm, which had stood for decades, lost thousands of trees to a mudslide.
