Update at Fri Dec 6 16:35:37 UTC 2024

rss.xml

@@ -30,6 +30,23 @@
     statements-releases
    </category>
   </item>
+  <item>
+   <title>
+    Remarks by President Biden at the National Christmas Tree Lighting
+   </title>
+   <guid>
+    https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2024/12/05/remarks-by-president-biden-at-the-national-christmas-tree-lighting-3/
+   </guid>
+   <pubDate>
+    Thu, 05 Dec 2024 22:01:00 -0500
+   </pubDate>
+   <link>
+    https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2024/12/05/remarks-by-president-biden-at-the-national-christmas-tree-lighting-3/
+   </link>
+   <category>
+    speeches-remarks
+   </category>
+  </item>
   <item>
    <title>
     Remarks by Vice President Harris at the National Black Caucus of State Legislators’ 48th Annual Legislative Conference
@@ -506,22 +523,5 @@
     statements-releases
    </category>
   </item>
-  <item>
-   <title>
-    First Lady Jill Biden Announces the 2024 White House Holiday Theme: A “Season of Peace and Light”
-   </title>
-   <guid>
-    https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/12/02/first-lady-jill-biden-announces-the-2024-white-house-holiday-theme-a-season-of-peace-and-light/
-   </guid>
-   <pubDate>
-    Mon, 02 Dec 2024 05:00:00 -0500
-   </pubDate>
-   <link>
-    https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/12/02/first-lady-jill-biden-announces-the-2024-white-house-holiday-theme-a-season-of-peace-and-light/
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-    statements-releases
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 </rss>

speeches-remarks/2024-12/2024-12-05-remarks-by-president-biden-at-the-national-christmas-tree-lighting-3.md

@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+---
+date: '2024-12-05'
+modified_time: 2024-12-06 10:29:15-05:00
+published_time: 2024-12-05 22:01:00-05:00
+source_url: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2024/12/05/remarks-by-president-biden-at-the-national-christmas-tree-lighting-3/
+tags: speeches-remarks
+title: "Remarks by President\_Biden at the National Christmas Tree\_Lighting"
+---
+
+The Ellipse  
+Washington, D.C.
+
+6:14 P.M. EST
+
+THE PRESIDENT:  Merry Christmas, everyone!  (Applause.)  Merry
+Christmas.  
+
+This Christmas tree lighting is one of my wife Jill’s favorite events,
+so she truly regrets not being here tonight.  She’s on an international
+trip in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates and Sicily to — in order to
+promote women’s health research.  (Applause.)  She sends her best wishes
+to all of you.
+
+And on behalf of Kamala and Doug — where are you, Kamala and Doug?  You
+— (applause) — there you go.  Welcome to the — on behalf of them,
+welcome to the National Christmas Tree lighting.
+
+Thank you, Mickey, all the artists who are performing tonight. 
+
+A special thanks to the Jones family for their service and sacrifice and
+our military families.  (Applause.)  Tonight, they’ll help light this
+beautiful Christmas tree. 
+
+Mickey, will you start the countdown?
+
+MS. GUYTON:  All right, y’all.  Let’s count down together, people. 
+
+AUDIENCE:  Five, four, three, two, one!
+
+(The Jones family light the National Christmas Tree.)
+
+THE PRESIDENT:  Whoa!  (Applause.) 
+
+MS. GUYTON:  Merry Christmas!
+
+(A choir sings “Joy to the World.”)
+
+THE PRESIDENT:  Folks, as we gather here in President’s Park just
+outside the White House, a special thanks to the National Park Service
+and the National Park Foundation.  (Applause.)  I mean it. 
+
+This 30-foot Red Spruce represents the spirit embodied in this year’s
+White House holiday theme, which Jill unveiled earlier this week.  The
+theme is “A Season of Peace and Light” — of peace and light — the peace
+we feel as we pause and reflect on our blessing and the light — the
+light we see as we gather with loved ones that cherish our time
+together. 
+
+During this season of reflection and renewal, many of us will sing “O
+Holy Night.”  A phrase in the song is, “His law is love; His gospel is
+peace.”  <s>May</s> \[My\] wish for you and for the nation, now and
+always, is we continue to seek the light of liberty and love, kindness
+and compassion, dignity and decency. 
+
+Merry Christmas, America.  Merry Christmas to all of you.  And may God
+bless you all.  (Applause.)  And may God protect — may God protect our
+troops.
+
+Thank you, thank you, thank you.  (Applause.)
+
+6:19 P.M. EST