The lights on the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree were lit during a ceremony held on Wednesday, December 6, at 5 p.m. on the West Front Lawn of the Capitol. The ceremony was open to the public and no tickets were required. Architect of the Capitol Alan Hantman served as master of ceremonies. The Honorable Dennis Hastert, the Speaker of the House, pressed the switch lighting the tree at dusk.

This year’s tree is from the Olympic National Forest located in Washington State. The tree was felled in early November and the 65-foot Pacific Silver Fir was placed on a trailer to begin its trek to Washington, D.C. It arrived at the Capitol on November 27. Over several days, the tree was decorated with 3,000 ornaments crafted by Washington school children that depict the state’s diverse landscapes, heritage, and history; large, globe-shaped ornaments; and 10,000 LED lights — continuing the AOC’s commitment to conserve energy across the Capitol Hill complex.

The program featured holiday music played by the United States Navy Band and carols sung by the National Presbyterian School Chorus. Micah Joe, an eight-year-old from Bremerton, assisted Speaker Hastert with the lighting of the tree. His name was drawn from 3,000 names of Washington students who made ornaments for the tree. Members of the Washington Congressional delegation also attended.

The Christmas Tree has been a tradition at the U.S. Capitol since 1964. The tree will be lit from dusk until 11 p.m. each evening through January 1, 2007.