President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump kicked off the holiday season in the nation’s capital Thursday evening by lighting the National Christmas for the first time.
For the special event that also included the Pageant of Peace ceremony, the first family was joined by hosts Dean Cain and Kathie Lee Gifford on the White House Ellipse, the Daily Mail reports.
Several White House officials were in attendance for the popular occasion including Donald Trump Jr’s family and Tiffany Trump.
Ivanka Trump was also in attendance, as she brought along her young children – Arabella, Joseph and Theodore -and husband Jared Kushner.
The busy mother-of-three, who has spent time recently traveling abroad as White House senior advisor to her father, was sporting an Altuzarra’s AW17 collection $3,000 Bellasio collarless double-breasted wool coat.
The program kicked off with Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke introducing the president while speaking from the podium.
“Merry Christmas, America,’ he said, referring to the glowing tree behind him as ‘another iconic image of this blessed holiday,” along with nativity scenes, presents, and cookies for Santa.
He called Trump ‘a man who loves our parks, loves our military, and loves our country. The man who brought `Merry Christmas’ back to our nation’s capital, and you did, sir.’
Trump then spoke for five minutes, and discussed the ‘incredible national Christmas tree’ while noting that the tradition goes back nearly a century.
