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| National Christmas Tree – Rejection |
Several weeks ago I received a rejection to attend the annual lighting of The National Christmas Tree. C’mon…..that many people really want to see that thing? It’s a tree. It’s cold. It’s dark. It’s on a Friday night. It’s a president with all-time low approval.
C’mon, rejected for that? Repeatedly I fail to process how big this place is. Big in terms of population, in terms of importance, in terms of popularity and most-of-all in terms of self-importance. That was going to be our Christmas tree after all! A solution was needed so after a bit of searching I found a solution; two in fact: the annual lighting of The U.S. Capitol tree and the lighting of The Norwegian Christmas tree. On the same night even!
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| Capitol Tree – Dusk |
I passed through the portable security gates on the Capitol lawn plenty of time before the lighting—-in time to hear the band and choir. In fact until about fifteen minutes prior to the lighting fewer spectators lined the fence than entertainers performing their traditional carols. This was simply not a popular event. It’s an 88 foot tree with 5000 ornaments having traveled 5000 miles to get here….and with its very own website! Yet only a few dozen people lined the secured area that ended up being several times as large as it needed to be. A reflection on the popularity of the main speaker (Speaker Boehner) perhaps? Unfortunately this being DC the program dragged on and on after the entertainers stopped. Head of this, Assistant Secretary of that, delegate from this state, Senator from that state, head of this organization. I started to understand the disinterest in the event even though the sunny, 50 degree afternoon screamed outdoors events.
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| Capitol Tree – Just Lit |
By now the VIP section had outnumbered our non-VIP section–even at that disproportionate number the roped off VIP section was about seven times larger than it needed to be. I questioned whether we were really that less important or the organizers simply misjudged the event interest. Given that a full 95% of the ‘VIPs’ were staffers under the age of 30 I’d suspect more the latter than the former…although I’d suspect a full measure of self-importance was part of the recipe. Finally The Speaker took the podium, did his thing with the help of a young boy of a deployed serviceman and everyone cheered. A more beautiful giant tree I’ve never seen up close. What a great substitute to our main tree. Now it was off to the Norwegian’s event.
Why a Norwegian Christmas tree? Simply because it was being set up the same night as the Capitol. And it’s a nice story–a positive tale from one of our allies, a friend to the country.
Night and day difference from the prior experience. I was able to count the security detail on one hand vs. using a calculator, I didn’t experience a wand being stuck anywhere on my person, I was offered both food and drink by the hosts, and instead of being pushed away, twice one of the security folks waved me through the felt-lined, knee height ‘security’ rope. I think it was because I was hoisting a camera of some heft and perhaps my bag and gear may have projected an unintended aura of official business. Positioned just a few feet from the tree, stage and dignitaries (vs. meters away) and surrounded by a packed house of clearly jolly and entertained guests and spectators made me wish I hadn’t wasted the first part of my evening at The Capitol. Getting back that time likely would have resulted in one of the few security folks directing me to the bleachers set up just a couple of feet in front of the stage instead of the already great spot I had! tusen takk amerika!!
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| Norwegian Tree – Annual Gift to U.S. tusen takk amerika! |
These will be our trees for the year. Actually quite appropriate—everything in the DMV is projected (self claimed) as bigger, brighter and better and by adopting these as our trees we’ll fit right in.