Lighting the nation’s tree

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MARY REICHARD, HOST: Today is Thursday, December 25th.

Thank you for turning to WORLD Radio to help start your day.

Good morning. I’m Mary Reichard.

MYRNA BROWN, HOST: And I’m Myrna Brown.

Coming next on The World and Everything in It: A symbol of peace.

TRUMP: So is everybody ready to light the beautiful Christmas tree?

Earlier this month, President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania took to the Ellipse stage at President’s Park…

TRUMP: 5 … 4 … 3 … 2 … 1 … (Applause.)

…to light the National Christmas Tree.

TRUMP: It's a beautiful job they did in creating that tree.

It’s a tradition that goes back more than a century. There’s music, a countdown, and a speech about hope and peace from the president. Over time, the National Christmas Tree has become more than a ceremony.

REICHARD: This year followed a similar script as in years past. President Trump praised the military and law enforcement. He touted political victories.

TRUMP: Tonight, this beautiful evergreen tree glows bright in the dark and cold winter night and reminds us of the words of Gospel of John, in him was life and that life was the light of all mankind.

He acknowledged the religious context for the holiday…

TRUMP: His word and his example call us to love one another, to serve one another and to honor the sacred truth that every child is specially made in the image of God.

And appealed to that context for civic unity.

He then explicitly linked the history of our nation with religion, tying this country’s 250th anniversary to the Christian faith.

TRUMP: It's a big year. … America has stood tall in part because millions of our citizens have heeded that call and the faith and service of Christians have been essential parts of America's strength from the very, very beginning. Incredible.

BROWN: WORLD’s Kristen Flavin now on how presidents throughout history have leaned on this tradition for unity in times of national crisis.

KRISTEN FLAVIN: President Trump’s recognition of the 250th celebration—the semiquincentennial—echoes the very first National Christmas Tree lighting ceremony. That one happened three years before America’s 150th anniversary in 1923—just a few months after Calvin Coolidge took office. Historian Matthew Spalding:

SPALDING: He gives a famous speech on that anniversary, talking about how America's culture is interwoven with a religious culture and that that all really comes together in a way that makes for this friendliness between reason and revelation.

Spalding says the ceremony reflected something Coolidge believed was essential to the presidency itself.

SPALDING: So it's a civic ceremony, but actually has religious connotations—or at least the deep theological connotations—throughout our culture, is precisely what he thought the president should do and the role of government to do to recognize those institutions and give them a certain legitimacy or recognition without necessarily taking sides, if you will.

Thousands of people gathered that first year to watch the tree-lighting and sing carols together. The tradition continued over the years with Coolidge making the first public remarks in 1928. All presidents since have followed suit.

Spalding says appealing to America’s Christian foundation makes the presidential Christmas tree lighting particularly important and unifying.

SPALDING: There's always been this healthy relationship, if you will, between America’s political institutions and America's cultural institutions in the broad, non-sectarian form that still recognize a theological grounding, not only of the nation itself, but in its culture. And something like a Christmas tree or having Christmas celebrations are great examples of that throughout America.

And over many decades many presidents have drawn on that religious meaning to unify the country through moments of national anxiety.

FDR: Our strongest weapon in this war is that conviction of the dignity and brotherhood of man which Christmas Day signifies-more than any other day or any other symbol.

Christmas Eve, 1941. President Franklin D. Roosevelt—alongside British Prime Minister Winston Churchill—addresses the nation for the 18th lighting ceremony, roughly two weeks after the Pearl Harbor bombing.

FDR: Against enemies who preach the principles of hate and practice them, we set our faith in human love and in God's care for us and all men everywhere.

[…]

We have joined with many other Nations and peoples in a very great cause.

[…]

One of their great leaders stands beside me. He and his people in many parts of the world are having their Christmas trees with their little children around them, just as we do here. He and his people have pointed the way in courage and in sacrifice for the sake of little children everywhere.

CRONKITE: From Dallas, Texas … the flash apparently official… President Kennedy died…

Then in 1963…

LYNDON JOHNSON: We turn on, in your Capital City, the lights of our National Christmas Tree…

The ceremony continues even after 30 day of mourning for Kennedy.

JOHNSON: When we are all reminded that mercy and compassion are the really enduring virtues…

In his address, President Lyndon B. Johnson appeals not only to the birth of Christ, but also to his resurrection to unite the nation.

By 1987—deep into the Cold War—presidents were using the tradition to project meaning beyond the ceremony itself. President Ronald Reagan pointedly used the tree lighting as an example of peace.

RONALD REAGAN: Two hours ago, General Secretary Gorbachev's plane touched down on American soil. I invited him to come and discuss ways in which we can reduce the tensions between our two countries.

[...]

I hope the General Secretary is watching this on TV. I'd like him to see what we're celebrating, because for us, Christmas celebrates the cause of peace on Earth, good will toward men.

Peace on Earth, good will toward men -- I cannot think of a better spirit in which to begin the meetings of the next several days. As a small reminder of that spirit, the Star of Peace atop the National Christmas Tree will be lit day and night during the time our Soviet guests are here. And as we look out from the White House during our discussions, let the star remind us why we've gathered and what we seek.

Then finally 2001...

BUSH: Terrorist attacks can shake the foundations of our biggest buildings, but they cannot touch the foundation of America…

… three months after delivering that September address to the nation, President George W. Bush used the tree lighting ceremony to encourage the nation.

GEORGE W BUSH: The history of this event has included some memorable moments, including 60 years ago, less than three weeks after the attack on Pearl Harbor, when Prime Minister Winston Churchill made an appearance with President Franklin Roosevelt to light the tree.

Now, once again, we celebrate Christmas in a time of testing, with American troops far from home. This season finds our country with losses to mourn and great tasks to complete. In all those tasks, it is worth recalling the words from a beautiful Christmas hymn -- in the third verse of "Oh Holy Night" we sing, "His law is love, and His gospel is peace. Change ye shall break, for the slave is our brother. And in His name all oppression shall cease.”

Over the century, presidents have continued the tradition of the National Christmas Tree through times of war, anxiety, and grief—to point the American people toward peace and a unifying gospel.

But Historian Matthew Spalding says the power of this ceremony is that it transcends politics.

SPALDING: What it does is it recognizes, among the American people, the symbol that for a lot of Americans, that that Christmas tree represents the hope of Christmas and a more joyous understanding with deeper religious meaning.

The words change. The circumstances change. But the ceremony continues.

Reporting for WORLD, I’m Kristen Flavin.

MUSIC: Air Force Band and Singing Sergeants

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