![](https://www.tumblr.com/widgets/share/tool?posttype=photo&canonicalUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.erlita.com%2Falbums%2Fphiladelphia-corners%2Fcontent%2Fholiday-tree-at-cityhall%2F&content=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.erlita.com%2Fstorage%2Fcache%2Fimages%2F000%2F139%2Fxmas-cityhall%2Flarge.1607207218.jpg&caption=%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E%3Ca href="http%3A%2F%2Fwww.erlita.com%2Falbums%2Fphiladelphia-corners%2Fcontent%2Fholiday-tree-at-cityhall%2F" title="Holiday tree at Cityhall"%3EHoliday tree at Cityhall%3C/a%3E%3C/strong%3E%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EThe+annual+tradition+of+lighting+a+national+tree+dates+back+to+December+24%2C+1923%2C+when+President+Calvin+Coolidge+pressed+a+button+that+lit+up+more+than+2%2C500+light+bulbs+strung+around+a+60-ft.-tall+balsam+fir+tree+from+his+home+state+of+Vermont%E2%80%94reportedly+personally+felled+in+%E2%80%9Cthe+heart+of+the+Green+Mountains%E2%80%9D+by+Middlebury+College%E2%80%99s+President+Paul+D.+Moody+and+shipped+express+to+Washington+by+the+school%E2%80%99s+alumni.%0A%0AThis+year%27s%282020%29+tree+is+a+60-year-old+white+fir+from+Yule+Tree+Farms+in+New+York+that%27s+more+than+50+feet+tall.+For+the+holidays%2C+it+will+be+decorated+with+multi-color+lights+and+painted+ornaments.+Two+ornaments+honoring+the+Black+Lives+Matter+movement+in+Philadelphia+and+across+the+country+are+included+this+year.%0A%0A%0A%28times.com%2C.phillyvoice.com%29%3C/p%3E){kind=link}
Holiday tree at Cityhall
The annual tradition of lighting a national tree dates back to December 24, 1923, when President Calvin Coolidge pressed a button that lit up more than 2,500 light bulbs strung around a 60-ft.-tall balsam fir tree from his home state of Vermont—reportedly personally felled in “the heart of the Green Mountains” by Middlebury College’s President Paul D. Moody and shipped express to Washington by the school’s alumni.
This year's(2020) tree is a 60-year-old white fir from Yule Tree Farms in New York that's more than 50 feet tall. For the holidays, it will be decorated with multi-color lights and painted ornaments. Two ornaments honoring the Black Lives Matter movement in Philadelphia and across the country are included this year.
(times.com,.phillyvoice.com)