[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2004, Book III)]
[December 2, 2004]
[Pages 3036-3037]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Remarks on Lighting the National Christmas Tree
December 2, 2004

    Thank you all very much. Tonight we begin a joyous season, and the 
city of Washington is never more beautiful than during the holidays. At 
Christmastime, we celebrate good tidings first announced 2,000 years ago 
and still a source of great joy in our world. Laura and I are always happy to join in the Pageant of Peace, 
and we thank you all for coming this evening.
    I thank our special guests. I want to thank Santa for such good 
weather. [Laughter] I appreciate Peter, 
the chairman of the Pageant of Peace, and his wife, Nancy. I want to thank John Betchkal, the president of the Christmas Pageant of Peace. I want 
to thank the members of the board of the Christmas Pageant of Peace for 
your hard work in putting on this joyous festival. I want to thank 
Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton. I want 
to thank other members of my Cabinet who are here tonight. I appreciate 
the Members of Congress who are here.
    I want to thank Fran Mainella, who 
is the Director of the Parks Service, and all the National Parks Service 
employees. I thank Dr. Schuller and all 
the entertainers. Thanks so very much for being here tonight.
    The season of Advent is always the season of hope. We think of the 
patient hope of men and women across the centuries who listened to the 
words of the prophets and lived in joyful expectation. We think of the 
hope of Mary, who welcomed God's plan with great faith. We think of the 
hope of the wise men who set out on a long journey guided only by a 
slender promise

[[Page 3037]]

traced in the stars. We are reminded of the hope that the grandest 
purposes of the Almighty can be found in the humblest places. And we 
embrace the hope that all the love and gifts that come to us in this 
life are the signs and symbols of even a greater love and gift that came 
on a holy night. The old carol speaks of a ``thrill of hope, the weary 
world rejoices, for yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.'' And every 
year at this time we feel the thrill of hope as we wait on Christmas 
Day.
    This Christmas, as loved ones come together, some in our military 
are separated from family by the call of duty a long way from home. We 
have service men and women celebrating the holidays at bases from Europe 
to East Asia and on many fronts in the war on terror. Especially for 
those deployed in Afghanistan and Iraq, the work is dangerous and the 
mission is urgent. American service men and women are bringing freedom 
to many and peace to future generations. Their sacrifices defend us all, 
and all Americans are grateful to them and to our military families.
    Across our country, citizens are supporting our people in uniform 
with their prayers and many acts of kindness. Often the effort is led by 
children. In Chantilly, Virginia, Brownie Troop 5179, who are here 
tonight, by the way, collected donations of candy and sun screen, bug 
spray, and handmade cards to send to our soldiers overseas. They 
gathered more than 200 pounds of gifts and made sure the packages 
arrived on time for the holidays. I'm sure those thoughtful gifts were 
gladly received.
    And I thank the Brownies for reminding the good people of our 
military how much they mean to America. And to show our appreciation to 
the Brownies of Chantilly, Virginia, and all those who volunteer in our 
blessed land, we have two representatives of the Troop to help 
Laura and me light our national Christmas tree.
    And so, if Nichole and Clara will come forward, we will turn on the lights. Are you 
ready? Now will you join me in the countdown? Five, four, three, two, 
one.

Note: The President spoke at 5:56 p.m. on the Ellipse during the annual 
Christmas Pageant of Peace. In his remarks, he referred to John 
Betchkal, president, Christmas Pageant of Peace; Peter Nostrand, 
chairman, Christmas Pageant of Peace, and his wife, Nancy; Robert H. 
Schuller, minister, Reformed Church in America; and Nichole Mastracchio 
and Clara Pitts, members, Brownie Troop 5179, Chantilly, VA.