Governor Phil Scott and the Department of Buildings and General Services announced today the dates of two annual events that help usher in the holiday season in Vermont: the annual State House Christmas tree lighting on Monday, December 4 at 5:00 p.m., and State House menorah lighting on Tuesday, December 12 at 5:00 p.m. Both events will take place on the State House lawn and are open to the general public.
The Christmas tree lighting will feature local musicians, Rudolph the VTRANS plow truck, horse and buggy rides, and visits with animals, including Secretary of Agriculture Anson Tebbetts’ miniature donkey, Frannie. This portion will begin at 4 p.m. before the lighting ceremony starts at 5 p.m.
The majestic 40-foot blue spruce planted 40 years ago in St. Albans was donated by Matt Durfee. He was moved to offer the tree in the spirit of ‘Vermont Strong,’ honoring the resilience of many Vermont communities following this summer’s catastrophic flooding.
Following the ceremony, light refreshments and cookies will be served inside the State House, around the indoor Victorian Christmas tree adorned with lights and handmade ornaments decorated by the Friends of the Vermont State House. Governor Scott will read “The Night Before Christmas” for the children who gather there.
On December 12, the Governor will again welcome Vermonters to the State House lawn to light the State House menorah for the sixth night of Hanukkah. The ceremony, led by Rabbi Tobie Weisman, will include live music. Latkes, sufganiyot, and games of dreidel will make for a festive atmosphere in the State House while the Governor reads Hanukkah stories to children.
Both events are open to the public.
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Categories: Press Release
Wait, wait, wait just one second! The WOKE citizens of Manchester & much of both Bennington County & Chittenden County need to remind you that the decorated, lighted piece of forest lumber is a: Holiday Tree – NOT a Christmas Tree.
This, despite general knowledge that the tradition evolved centuries ago in Europe specifically to celebrate & commemorate the Christian holiday of Christmas, when the tradition spread to early America with homes erecting decorated trees by the first quarter of the 19th century in honor of this holiday, when in the year 1870 President Grant officially made the holy day an official federal holiday in the nation’s Capital.
Despite the detailed history, towns such as Manchester, Bennington, and Burlington especially argue it is but a “holiday tree” in order to be more “inclusive” to all atheists, non-Christians, those who loathe Christians, Satanists, demonologists, and heathens of every kind!
Holiday tree, “woke fools” can call it whatever they want, but it’s a ” Christmas Tree ” to all Christians and that’s what it is, if you don’t like it ……. TS
More liberal nonsense.
I am surprised Commissar Phil allows any religious ceremonies to be sanctioned and recognized by the state government. Give it a few years and this won’t be allowed at all.
Good point. And it will likely be Governor Ponytail or any one of the numerous loons on the left poised to take over who usher it in – as we “enlightened” Vermonters don’t want to “offend” anyone with our faith in God or exclude those who wish to murder us because of it. It’s freedom FROM religion, NOT freedom of religion. Isn’t it?