WASHINGTON — (AP) — As he presided over his final Christmas tree lighting at the White House, President Joe Biden on Thursday said his wish for the nation now, and always, was that “we continue to seek the light of liberty and love, kindness and compassion, dignity and decency.”

Biden spoke briefly to the crowd who were decked out in heavy winter layers as frigid winds and chilly temperatures hit the nation's capital. Vice President Kamala Harris and her husband, Doug Emhoff, were also in attendance. The tree has been set up on the Ellipse outside the White House South Lawn, and it's visible on the streets.

The 30-foot red spruce tree came from Mount Rogers National Recreation Area in Grayson County, Virginia. It was transferred to the White House on Nov. 15.

It's the final holiday stretch for Biden. His wife, Jill, has decked out the White House with whimsical decorations to evoke the "peace and light" of the season. She missed the lighting this year because she was in Doha, Qatar, where she was discussing her initiative on women's health.

So Biden did the honors himself, counting down from five before the tree light up a cheery bright green from the tip-top to the bottom of the trunk. He wished the crowd a Merry Christmas before stepping down to take his seat for musical performances.

Biden said the theme reflects the “peace we feel as we pause and reflect our on blessings and the light we see as we gather with loved ones and cherish our time together.”

The tree lighting ceremony is an annual tradition. On Thursday, Trombone Shorty and Trisha Yearwood were among the performers.

The White House Christmas display includes a towering tree surrounded by an amusement park-style carousel, brass-colored bells and sleigh bells lining a hallway, and a ceiling design that mimics snowfall.

That tree came from a farm in Newland, North Carolina, where Hurricane Helene struck earlier this year. The Cartner's Christmas Tree Farm, which had stood for decades, lost thousands of trees to a mudslide.

___

Associated Press writer Colleen Long contributed to this report.

Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.