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A Brief Story of the National Christmas Tree
In November 1923, First Lady Grace Coolidge gave permission for the District of Columbia Public Schools to erect a Christmas tree on the Ellipse south of the White House. The organizers named the tree the "National Christmas Tree. ["]
That Christmas Eve, at 5pm, President Calvin Coolidge walked from the White House to the Ellipse and "pushed the button" to light the cut 48-foot Balsam fir, as 3,000 enthusiastic spectators looked on. The tree, donated by Middlebury College, was from the President's native state of Vermont. From 10924 to 1953 live trees, in various locations around and on the White House grounds, were lit on Christmas Eve.
In 1954, the ceremony returned to the Ellipse and expanded its focus. Smaller trees representing the states, territories and the District of Columbia formed a "Pathway of Peace". On December 17, 1954, President Dwight D. Eisenhower lit the cut tree donated by the people of Michigan. Cut trees continued to be used until 1973, when the National Park Service shifted to a series of live trees.
The centerpiece of the season's celebration is the living National Christmas Tree, a White Fir from Middleburg, Pennsylvania, transplanted to the Ellipse on October 30, 2021. The tree stands as a daily reminder of the holiday spirit and of the tradition each succeeding President has participated in since 1923. ... |