Washington, Dec 7 : A glittering 67 foot (20 metre) Christmas tree was illuminated outside the US Capitol building on Tuesday in Washington, DC.
Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi helped a young student from Wyoming to light the tree.
Daniel Sitter, a sixth grade student, pushed the button that illuminated the tree's lights.
The annual event was marked by a ceremony in which The All-City Children's Chorus, also from Wyoming, sang holiday songs.
Pelosi said that members of the military had watched the tree lighting ceremony with their families.
"You can't see on the other side of the tree but they can see you. Gathered on the Speaker's balcony are men and women in uniform from Walter Reed Hospital and members
of their families," she said.
This year's tree, an Engelmann spruce, came from Wyoming's Bridger-Teton National Forest.
Strands of energy-efficient LED lights were used to decorate the tree, according to officials.
The tree will be lit from nightfall until 2300 local time (1800 GMT) each evening until 1 January, 2011. AP
