At the tree lighting, Biden says his holiday wish is that the United States continues to strive for light, freedom and love

WASHINGTON (AP) — As he led the final Christmas tree lighting at the White House, President Joe Biden said Thursday that his wish to the nation now and always is that “we continue to seek the light of freedom, of love, of kindness and compassion, Dignity and decency.”

Biden spoke briefly to the crowd, dressed in heavy winter clothing as freezing winds and chilly temperatures descended on the nation’s capital. Vice President Kamala Harris and her husband Doug Emhoff were also in attendance. The tree was placed on the Ellipse in front of the South Lawn of the White House and is visible on the streets.

The 30-foot-tall Norway spruce is native to Mount Rogers National Recreation Area in Grayson County, Virginia. It was delivered to the White House on November 15th.

For Biden it is the last part of the vacation. His wife, Jill, has decorated the White House with whimsical decorations to commemorate the “peace and light” of the season. She missed the lighting this year because she was in Doha, Qatar, where she discussed her women’s health initiative.

So Biden did the honors himself, counting down from five before the tree glowed a cheerful, bright green from top to bottom of the trunk. He wished the crowd a Merry Christmas before stepping back to take his place for the musical performances.

Biden said the theme reflects the “peace we feel when we pause and reflect on our blessings and the light we see when we gather with our loved ones and cherish our time together.”

The tree lighting ceremony is an annual tradition. On Thursday, performers included Trombone Shorty and Trisha Yearwood.

The White House Christmas display includes a towering tree surrounded by an amusement park-style carousel, brass-colored chimes and sleigh bells lining a hallway and a ceiling design that mimics snowfall.

This tree came from a farm in Newland, North Carolina, where Hurricane Helene hit earlier this year. Cartner’s Christmas Tree Farm, which had existed for decades, lost thousands of trees in a mudslide.

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Associated Press writer Colleen Long contributed to this report.