contributed by Thomas Graham, CEO of Crosswind Media & Public Relations
Every December, lights flicker to life across the country—on homes, storefronts, and trees that brighten town squares from Georgetown, Texas, to the National Mall in Washington, D.C.
Christmas has a way of bringing us together. It’s a season that reminds us who we are and what we share—faith, family, and community.
This year, I have the distinct honor of helping organize and promote the National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony, a tradition that dates back more than a century. From the first ceremony in 1923, when President Calvin Coolidge lit the tree outside the White House, the ceremony has grown into one of our nation’s most beloved holiday gatherings.
Hosted by the National Park Foundation, in partnership with the National Park Service and The White House, the event continues to unite Americans in a single moment of light and hope.
The tradition began humbly. In 1923, the D.C. Public Schools petitioned the White House to place a decorated Christmas tree on the Ellipse. First Lady Grace Coolidge gave permission to do so south of the White House and the organizers named it the National Christmas Tree.
That Christmas Eve, at 5pm, President Coolidge walked to the Ellipse and “pushed the button” to light a 48-foot balsam fir donated by Middlebury College in his native state of Vermont. As 3,000 enthusiastic spectators looked on, schoolchildren sang carols and joined in the celebration, setting the tone for what would become a lasting American tradition of joy, unity, and hope.
A century later, the spirit of that first gathering still shines bright. This year, volunteers from across the country will decorate 59 trees—representing each of our states and territories, as well as the Department of the Interior—lining the President’s Park leading to the National Christmas Tree. Together, they create a living symbol of the diversity and togetherness that define our nation, each tree reflecting the beauty of its people and its home.
In early December, a team from the National Park Service will bring a beautiful tree from the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests, near Roanoke, Virginia to the White House where it will be erected, decorated, and serve as the centerpiece for our nation’s moment of unity.
On November 28, here in Georgetown, we celebrated our own moment of illumination. Georgetown Mayor Josh Schroeder and Williamson County Judge Steve Snell flipped the switch to illuminate the courthouse, the surrounding grounds, and the lights encircling our historic Square. Families gathered, carolers sing, and our community glows today with the same spirit that inspired that first crowd on the Ellipse more than a century ago.
In recent weeks, as our team discussed the planning, the performers, and the purpose of the National Tree Lighting, one colleague said, “We want it to feel like home.” Without hesitation, I replied, “Like Georgetown, Texas.”
There’s something about Georgetown—the historic square, the sense of community, the simple joy of gathering together—that captures the essence of what we want all Americans to feel when they watch this year’s broadcast. The ceremony will air nationally, giving millions of viewers not just a front-row seat to a Washington tradition, but a reminder of the small-town belonging that makes our country strong.
At a time when America can feel divided, the National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony offers something rare—a shared experience that transcends politics and reminds us we are one family, one community, under one shining light.
As I help shape this year’s celebration, my goal is simple: to bring a little bit of Georgetown to the nation’s capital—and bring America home for Christmas.