President's Park (White House) - National_Christmas_Tree

2008 Lighting of the National Christmas Tree

NPS Photo by Terry Adams

The National Christmas Tree was lit on December 4, 2008 in President's Park. This living Colorado blue spruce tree is located on the Ellipse, just south of the White House.

Special Announcements

The National Park Service and the National Park Foundation have announced the annual National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony will be held on Thursday, December 3, 2009, at 5:00 p.m., on the Ellipse in Washington, D.C.

This year, the event will introduce a new lottery system for the general public, providing a chance to obtain free tickets to the ceremony.

The new online lottery will be available beginning at 12:01 a.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST) on Wednesday, November 4^th (or 11:01 p.m. Central Standard Time (CST), 10:01p.m. Mountain Standard Time (MST) and9:01p.m. Pacific Standard Time (PST) on Tuesday, November 3^rd). The ticket lottery remains open through 11:59 p.m. EST on Friday, November 6th (or 10:59 p.m. CST, 9:59 p.m. MST and 8:59 p.m. PST on Friday evening, November 6^th), by going to www.thenationaltree.org and following the link to the online ticket lottery application page at www.recreation.gov . The National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony marks the opening of the four-week event sponsored by the National Park Service and the National Park Foundation, the official charitable partner of America’s National Parks.

President’s Park accepted National Christmas Tree Evening Music Program applications between Tuesday, September 1 , 2009 and Friday, September 18, 2009. The evening schedule will be posted soon.

The annual National Christmas Tree Program takes place each year from early December through January 1, on the Ellipse south of the White House grounds.

Lighting of the National Christmas Tree Ceremony

The tree lighting ceremony begins each year’s National Christmas Tree Program. Nationally known entertainers and a military band add to the celebratory evening in which the President brings a message of peace to the nation and the world. The culmination of the evening is the illumination of the National Christmas Tree.

Trains! Santa's Workshop!! State trees and ornaments!!!

National Christmas Tree Program Activities

Seasonal displays include a Yule log and a large-scale model train. For the 15th consecutive year, the National Christmas Tree Railroad will provide model trains that surround the base of the National Christmas Tree. The trains will run from 11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. daily through January 1st.

For the second time this year, the seasonal displays will include a Santa’s Workshop sponsored by UL. The Workshop will be open at select times for children to visit with Santa.

In what becomes the "Christmas Pathway of Peace," the National Christmas Tree and 56 smaller trees--one for each state, five territories and the District of Columbia--serve as the event focal point. All 57 trees will be lit each evening at dusk until 11:00 p.m. and will be lit each night through January 1st. Sponsoring organizations in each state provide the tree decorations and each decoration is encased in a protective plastic globe to shield it from the weather.

National Christmas Tree Nightly Performances

Musical entertainment, featuring musical performances by volunteer choirs, bands and dancers, will be held nightly on the Ellipse stage during the month of December.

To print out this year's schedule: TBA

Weeknight performances will be performed between 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Weekend performances will be performed between 4:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

It's free, no tickets required!

Applications for the 2009 evening music program were accepted from Tuesday, September 1 until Friday, September 18. 2009. The evening schedule for activities will be published soon.