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Biden spoke briefly to the crowd who were decked out in heavy
winter layers as frigid winds and chilly temperatures hit the
nation's capital. Vice President Kamala Harris and her husband,
Doug Emhoff, were also in attendance. The tree has been set up
on the Ellipse outside the White House South Lawn, and it's
visible on the streets.
The 30-foot red spruce tree came from Mount Rogers National
Recreation Area in Grayson County, Virginia. It was transferred
to the White House on Nov. 15.
It’s the final holiday stretch for Biden. His wife, Jill, has
decked out the White House with whimsical decorations to evoke
the “peace and light” of the season. She missed the lighting
this year because she was in Doha, Qatar, where she was
discussing her initiative on women’s health.
So Biden did the honors himself, counting down from five before
the tree light up a cheery bright green from the tip-top to the
bottom of the trunk. He wished the crowd a Merry Christmas
before stepping down to take his seat for musical performances.
Biden said the theme reflects the “peace we feel as we pause and
reflect our on blessings and the light we see as 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 includes a towering tree
surrounded by an amusement park-style carousel, brass-colored
bells and sleigh bells lining a hallway, and a ceiling design
that mimics snowfall.
That tree came from a farm in Newland, North Carolina, where
Hurricane Helene struck earlier this year. The Cartner’s
Christmas Tree Farm, which had stood for decades, lost thousands
of trees to a mudslide.
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Associated Press writer Colleen Long contributed to this report.
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