President Trump, First Lady Melania light National Christmas Tree
FULL: President Trump speaks at the National Christmas tree lighting
President Trump delivered remarks during the National Christmas tree lighting ceremony Thursday evening.
WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump lit the National Christmas Tree Thursday in Washington, D.C.
The ceremony began at 6 p.m. ET. The Beach Boys and Alana Springsteen were among the entertainers who were scheduled to perform at the ceremony, the New York Post reported.
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Where is the National Christmas tree located?
Dig deeper:
The National Christmas Tree is located south of the White House on the Ellipse. This year’s Christmas tree is a 35-foot red spruce from the George Washington and Jefferson National Forest in Virginia.
When was the first National Christmas Tree lighting?
The backstory:
According to the National Park Service, the tradition of lighting the National Christmas Tree started on Christmas Eve in 1923 when President Calvin Coolidge lit a 48-foot Balsam Fir from Vermont decorated with 2,500 red, white, and green electric bulbs.
The Source: Information for this story was provided by the National Park Service, the White House communications office and the New York Post. This story was reported from Washington, D.C.