WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump will light the National Christmas Tree Thursday in Washington, D.C. 

The ceremony begins at 6 p.m. ET and the Beach Boys and Alana Springsteen are among the entertainers who are scheduled to perform at the ceremony, the New York Post reported. 

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Where is the National Christmas tree located?

Dig deeper:

The National Christmas Tree is located south of the White House on the Ellipse. This year’s Christmas tree is a 35-foot red spruce from the George Washington and Jefferson National Forest in Virginia.

When was the first National Christmas Tree lighting?

The backstory:

According to the National Park Service, the tradition of lighting the National Christmas Tree started on Christmas Eve in 1923 when President Calvin Coolidge lit a 48-foot Balsam Fir from Vermont decorated with 2,500 red, white, and green electric bulbs. 

The Source: Information for this story was provided by the National Park Service, the White House communications office and the New York Post. This story was reported from Washington, D.C. 

 

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