National Christmas Tree (United States)

The National Christmas Tree is a large evergreen tree located in the northeast quadrant of The Ellipse near the White House in Washington, D.C. Each year since 1923, the tree has been decorated as a Christmas tree. The grand illumination of the Christmas lights on the tree by the President of the United States early in December is an annual event. Every president since Franklin D. Roosevelt has made formal remarks and lights the tree during the tree lighting ceremony. Since 1954, the event has marked the start of month-long festivities known as the Pageant of Peace. Smaller trees representing the U.S. states, District of Columbia, and the five territories around the National Christmas Tree are referred to as the Pathway to Peace.

Beginnings of the National Christmas Tree tradition

1923 tree

The idea of a decorated, outdoor national Christmas tree originated with Frederick Morris Feiker. Feiker was a highly educated engineer who had been a technical journalist for General Electric from 1906-1907 and editor of Electrical World and Electrical Merchandising from 1915 to 1921. In 1921, Feiker joined the personal staff of United States Secretary of Commerce Herbert Hoover as a press aide. The Society for Electrical Development (an electrical industry trade group) was looking for a way to encourage people to purchase more electric Christmas lights and use electricity, and Feiker suggested that President Calvin Coolidge personally light the tree as a way of giving Christmas lights prominence and social cachet. Vermont Republican Senator Frank L. Greene accompanied Feiker to the White House, where they successfully convinced Coolidge to light the tree.

Christmas tree

A Christmas tree is a decorated tree, usually an evergreen conifer such as spruce, pine, or fir or an artificial tree of similar appearance, associated with the celebration of Christmas. Originally a Celtic custom, the Christmas tree developed in early modern Germany (where it is today called Weihnachtsbaum or Christbaum) with predecessors that can be traced to the 16th and possibly 15th century, in which devout Christians brought decorated trees into their homes. It acquired popularity beyond Germany during the second half of the 19th century, at first among the upper classes.

The tree was traditionally decorated with edibles such as apples, nuts, or other foods. In the 18th century, it began to be illuminated by candles which were ultimately replaced by Christmas lights after the advent of electrification. Today, there is a wide variety of traditional ornaments, such as garland, tinsel, and candy canes. An angel or star might be placed at the top of the tree to represent the archangel Gabriel or the Star of Bethlehem from the Nativity.

Christmas tree (disambiguation)

A Christmas tree is a festive decoration. It may also refer to:

Christmas tree (aviation)

A "Christmas tree" was a type of alert area constructed by the United States Air Force for the Strategic Air Command (SAC) during the Cold War. Oftentimes, bombers or tanker aircraft were stationed next to a readiness crew building (RCB), also known as "mole hole" facilities. The alert apron, also known as an alert ramp, received the name "Christmas tree" because it basically resembled a tree of the same name.

History

Before the development of the B-52 Stratofortress, aircraft such as the B-36 Peacemaker, B-50 Superfortress and B-47 Stratojet were parked on alert aprons at right angles. Due to the size of the aircraft, this created a problem in launching aircraft efficiently in the event of an emergency scramble, requiring a different solution to be devised. To fix this, aircraft were repositioned on specifically designed alert aprons arranged in herringbone configurations, which then allowed the planes to pull out onto the runway as quickly as possible.

This meant that the aircraft would be positioned at 45 degrees in relation to an alert apron center line leading to a short taxiway and then onto the nearest runway(s). Two aircraft would be positioned on either side of the center line, typically four deep on either side, with one additional aircraft being positioned directly aligned on the center line furthest back. The success of this formation also led to the adoption of the setup for the KC-97 Stratofreighter and KB-50 Superfortress aerial refueling aircraft. As newer bomber and aircraft eventually entered the SAC inventory, the "Christmas tree" aprons would be used by the B-47 Stratojet, B-52 Stratofortress, B-58 Hustler, FB-111, B-1 Lancer, KC-135 Stratotanker and KC-10 Extender aircraft.