Art
Every December, the sitting President formally lights the National Christmas Tree on the Ellipse behind the White House. This ceremony, broadcast nationwide, became a symbol of American unity and holiday tradition—a moment when millions of families gathered around their televisions to watch their leader kindle the season's first official lights.
Art · Full story
The President stands before thousands of gathered citizens, his hand poised near the switch. Cold air bites at exposed skin. Behind him, the massive evergreen rises dark against the winter sky, its thousands of bulbs waiting. A hush falls. Then light floods the tree, and the crowd erupts—a nation watching at home joins the cheer.
Reflect
What holiday traditions does your family gather around together, and why do they matter to you?