Lights shine at the White House: US President Joe Biden and his wife Jill rang in the Christmas season in the USA and lit up the traditional Christmas tree in front of the government headquarters at the push of a button.
The Bidens celebrated the ceremony at the start of the holiday season on Thursday evening together with numerous visitors. Biden counted down from five before the festively decorated fir tree began to shine.
The illuminated tree is located in Ellipse Park between the White House and the Washington Monument. The president turning on the lights has been a tradition in Washington for a hundred years. President Calvin Coolidge lit up a Christmas tree for the first time in 1923.
The decorated fir tree fell over on Tuesday as icy winds gripped the US capital. The wind gusts reached speeds of up to 60 kilometers per hour. The huge tree lay on its side for a short time and was finally put back upright using a crane.
