When was the White House Christmas tree lit?
1923
The National Christmas Tree Lighting first began in 1923 under President Calvin Coolidge. The tree is decorated every year with thousands of lights and unique decorations.
Who lit the first Christmas tree at the White House?
The tradition of a placing a decorated tree in the White House began in 1889 on Christmas morning during the Presidency of Benjamin Harrison.
Where did the Christmas tree for the White House come from this year?
Official list (1961–2021)
Year | Species and location grown | Location |
---|---|---|
2019 | Douglas fir, Pitman, Pennsylvania | Blue Room |
2018 | Fraser fir, Newland, North Carolina | Blue Room |
2017 | Balsam fir, Endeavor, Wisconsin | Blue Room |
2016 | Douglas fir, Oconto, Wisconsin | Blue Room |
Which president had the first Christmas tree with electric lights?
President Calvin Coolidge
On December 24, 1923, President Calvin Coolidge touches a button and lights up the first national Christmas tree to grace the White House grounds. Not only was this the first White House “community” Christmas tree, but it was the first to be decorated with electric lights—a strand of 2,500 red, white and green bulbs.
Where is the White House Christmas tree 2021?
Christmas tree in the Blue Room The official 2021 White House Christmas tree, displayed in the Blue Room, is an 18-and-a-half-foot Fraser fir from Jefferson, North Carolina. Dating back to the Eisenhower administration, a large Christmas tree has been consistently featured in the Blue Room.
Who started the National Christmas Tree tradition in Washington DC?
In 1923, President Calvin Coolidge walked from the White House to the Ellipse to light a 48-foot fir tree decorated with 2,500 electric bulbs in red, white and green, as a local choir and a “quartet” from the U.S. Marine Band performed.
Which American President banned Christmas trees in the White House?
President Theodore Roosevelt
When I was a kid fifty years ago, President Theodore Roosevelt had a bad rap. We learned that way back in the 1900s, he banned Christmas trees from the White House.
When did electric lights first appear on Christmas trees?
1882
In 1882, Edward H. Johnson, Edison’s friend and partner, put together the very first string of electric lights meant for a Christmas tree. He hand-wired 80 red, white and blue light bulbs and wound them around his Christmas tree. Not only was the tree illuminated with electricity, but it also revolved.
Why did Teddy Roosevelt not allow a Christmas tree in the White House?
Theodore Roosevelt’s commitment to conservation is well known. Less well known was the 26th president’s ill-fated attempt to ban Christmas trees at the White House. Why? So many trees were cut down for the holidays, he believed, that it was contributing to deforestation—and he wanted to set an example for the country.
What event prevented the lighting of the National Christmas Tree in 1979?
The President announced that the National Christmas Tree, a nationwide symbol, would remain dark until the American hostages in Iran were set free.
Who decorated the first Christmas tree with lights?
Martin Luther
Some built Christmas pyramids of wood and decorated them with evergreens and candles if wood was scarce. It is a widely held belief that Martin Luther, the 16th-century Protestant reformer, first added lighted candles to a tree.