President's Park (White House) - National_Christmas_Tree

NPS Photo by Donna Spiewak

President George W. Bush lit the National Christmas Tree on December 6, 2007. The tree is located on the Ellipse, south of the White House.

Special Announcements

The Opening Ceremony for the 2008 Lighting of the National Christmas Tree will take place on Thursday, December 4, 2008. Click here for more information
2008 Schedule of Nightly Performances
- Print the schedule of nightly performances from Saturday, December 6 to Tuesday, December 23, 2008
National Park Service to Hold Ticket Distribution for the Lighting of the National Christmas Tree Ceremony
** All 2800 free tickets to the 2008 Lighting of the National Christmas Tree were distributed to the public on a first-come, first-served basis on Saturday, November 1, 2008.
2007 State Tree Sponsors - Click here to view the 56 states, territories and the District of Columbia trees.

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.

National Christmas Tree Program Activities

Seasonal displays include a Yule log and a large-scale model train. The National Christmas Tree Railroad, a local model train club, 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.

In what becomes the "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 and dancers, will be held nightly on the Ellipse stage.

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. Free, no reservation required.

The National Park Service will be accepting applications for the 2009 evening music program from Tuesday, September 1 until Friday, September 18. Click here to apply