National Christmas Tree Lighthing Offers Tickets by Lottery

The National Christmas Tree is a Colorado blue spruce planted on the Ellipse, south of the White House, in 1978. The tree was 15 years old and 30 feet tall when it arrived in our Nation’s capital 31 years ago. Today the tree is 46 years old and stands at almost 42 feet tall.

The National Christmas Tree is rich in history. 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. 86 years later, this American holiday tradition continues to bring citizens together to share in a message of hope and peace.

During the thirty years that the National Christmas Tree has lived on the Ellipse, five Presidents and their families have lived in the White House, lighting the tree each year with a message of peace for the world.

To get tickets to the ceremony, visit www.recreation.gov between Nov. 4th and 6th to enter the ticket lottery. The website will contain all necessary information to apply for 2009 National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony tickets. Additionally, any ticket seeker without access to a computer may also call (877-444-6777 or for TDD (877) 833-6777) beginning Wednesday, November 4th through Friday, November 6th to place their name into the lottery.

Once the lottery is completed, ticket lottery seekers who submitted their request via computer will be notified via email. Successful ticket seekers who applied by calling the above-listed number will receive a notice sent via U.S. Mail.

All ticket seekers may check the status of their request online or through the call center after closure of the lottery beginning on November 9, 2009.

This year, you can view the lighting of The National Christmas Tree via a live webcast. Go www.thenationaltree.org on December 3rd at 5pm ET to watch the entire show. Every performance, presenter and holiday festivity from the ceremony will be broadcast online for you to view from wherever you are.

Cheryl Phillips
HULIQ.com

source: information.gov