National Christmas Tree Lighting

President Bush and the first lady participated in the lighting of the National Christmas Tree and the opening ceremonies on the Ellipse for the 2005 Pageant of Peace. After holiday remarks by the president, Jackie, Melissa, and Jenna Cantor of Bethesda, Maryland turned on thousands of lights on the tree, a 40-foot Colorado blue spruce from York, Pennsylvania. They had started Project Backpack to give children displaced by Hurricane Katrina new backpacks filled with books, toys, and school supplies.

In addition to the main tree, there included a Pathway of Peace of 56 smaller trees represented the 50 states, five territories, and Washington, D.C.

The program included performances of traditional and contemporary holiday songs. Performers included country musician Ricky Skaggs and the Ricky Skaggs Family Band; Dale Kristien, who played Christine Daae in the Andrew Lloyd Webber performance of Phantom of the Opera; Grammy winning singer CeCe Winans; poet Maya Angelou; the VOENA Children’s A Capella Choir; Brad Oscar, the start of the upcoming Arena production of Damn Yankees; and the U.S. Marine Band, which accompanied all musicians. close