Visit the Tree

Presenting the 2018 National Christmas Tree

This year’s National Christmas Tree, designed and lit by GE Lighting, features a simply stated elegant design brought to life with sparkling mesh red ribbons, hundreds of miniature green holiday lights, graceful white rope lighting, and twinkling, red illuminated sphere ornaments.

This is the tenth consecutive year that LED lights, many of them Energy Star® qualified, have been used exclusively, along with lighter-weight materials to continue the tradition of resource preservation in lighting the National Christmas Tree. Special consideration was given to use materials safer for birds and other living creatures who take up residence among the decorations.

For a beautiful daytime appearance, the sparkling red-mesh ribbons circling the tree glisten in natural light. To compliment the theme, an heirloom, star-shaped tree topper, with commercial LED signage product, illuminates a soft beacon of light, commemorating traditions of the season.

This year’s lighting design includes 74,000 LED chips. The total cost to light the tree over the holiday season, from dusk until 11:00 P.M. every night, is under $200. That’s about one-fifth of what a comparable design would be with incandescent lights. In terms of environmental impact, using LEDs saves 7,000 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions, and avoids burning about two tons of coal.

This year’s tree was designed using GE Lighting products available to consumers, which means that anyone may replicate the look in their own homes and share in the tradition of the National Christmas Tree.

Visiting the 2018 National Christmas Tree

The National Christmas Tree will be lit every day starting from approximately 4:30 p.m. as part of the America Celebrates display at President’s Park (White House). This display is free to visit and will be open to the public from 10:00am – 10:00pm on Sunday – Thursday, and 10:00am-11:00pm on Friday and Saturday beginning Thursday, November 29. The walkway will be surrounding the National Christmas Tree features 56 state and territory trees decorated with handmade ornaments that are unique to each tree. Please visit the National Park Service website for the most up-to-date information.

Nightly Entertainment

The National Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony is the beginning of three weeks of celebration in holiday music in the nation’s capital. Musical groups from Washington D.C. and across the country provide holiday entertainment to the countless visitors for a one of a kind holiday experience set against the backdrop of the National Christmas Tree. The 2018 National Christmas Tree Music Program schedule can be found here.

Questions

If you have questions about The 2018 National Christmas Tree or need help planning your visit, please contact President’s Park at 202-208-1631.