Christmas Tree Lighting On the Ellipse (20081205)

This was a fun day with Kiera.  Rebbecca had obtained seating tickets for us and all we had to do was show up for the annual tradition on the Ellipse which was being held on December 5. 

(Of note is that when I was a youngster the Ellipse was set up for baseball with about 4 or 5 ballfields where the local colleges and others could play and where anyone could wander out and watch.  Mom might take me down to the Ellipse area where we would park and wait for Dad to meet us from work during which wait we'd watch a ballgame.  In the Fall you'd still see baseball but there would be footballs thrown around as well.  The Ellipse was not necessarily on Truman's route when he would take his "constitutional" but noone would have been surprised to see Truman walk past with his quick pace.  The only threat to Truman then (although there was an attack by a couple of Puerto Ricans who were staged at what was then a drugstore at the SW corner of PA and 17th streets and who failed in their targeting of Truman when he was in the area of the Blair House) were the press who tried to keep up with him in his walks.  Nevertheless, today there is a permanent Christmas tree on the north end of the Ellipse and there are strict restrictions on where you can and cannot walk.  Baseball  ... well not like it was before).

We arrived in plenty of time and the weather was relatively mild.  There was a threat for rain and we (KES) dressed accordingly.  The pics belie the chilly weather we had been experiencing but pansies seem to be hardy downtown.

KES needed some hair adjustment when we met Rebbecca but then it was off to our seats.

Once in the seating area there was entertainment to help pass the time and  between jugglers and carolers the time passed quickly.

We were greeted by the dignitaries and, of course, our President and the First Lady.  The speeches were of the right length, the entertainment truly that and

  

the tree was magnificent.  A glorious evening and introduction to the Advent season.

During the program it turned colder, largely due to a brisk wind, and we headed back to the parking garage for our car in anticipation of the rain we sensed was coming.  In fact, only about 25 yards from the garage the rain began.  The evening was superb and our timing faultless.