College Station got a little brighter on Thursday, as friends and family joined the city’s Citizen of the Year to light up a 19-foot outdoor Christmas tree.
The George Bush Presidential Library and Museum hosted their annual Christmas tree lighting in conjunction with the Bryan-College Station Chamber of Commerce on Thursday night. The Chamber’s Citizen of the Year, Judge Alvin Jones, led the ceremony by officially lighting the tree with a cartoon-style lever. During the event, members of the Brazos Valley Corral serenaded the audience with holiday songs such as “O Christmas Tree.”
David Anaya, the library’s marketing and communications director, said the event is structured similarly to a ceremony that was incredibly important to President and Mrs. Bush during their time in the nation’s capital.
“The purpose behind it was to replicate the Christmas tree lighting at the White House,” Anaya said. “That’s the reason we do it, to get that same feeling in the area. In Washington D.C., they have a celebrity Christmas tree lighter, musical entertainment and a reception after. We try to do the same thing here, in College Station.
“I love that it’s ‘Christmassy’ because we’re in a college town and not many people put up Christmas lights,” Dahlander said. “It’s a nice surprise to see. When I go home, I like to look around at Christmas lights and decorations. It’s also fun to see families here, not just students.”
According to Finch, the tree lighting is one of the biggest events of the year for the library, and he hopes families will take their Christmas photos in front of the tree. He said it’s a great way to bring the community together.
“It’s fun and a nice way to celebrate the holidays,” Finch said. “We like to feel like we’re a part of this community and this is a nice way to do that.”
The event was about more than a Christmas tree, according to Jones, who said he’s proud that the Bush Library puts the tree lighting ceremony on each year to foster community and holiday spirit.
“Christmas is such a wonderful time for all of us,” Jones said. “No matter how old you are, you can think back to when you were that little youngster and Christmas Eve came and all the things that ran through your head at that time. You could hardly wait to go to bed and wake up. As we get older, we become more involved with our families. We spend time with parents, siblings and friends. Now, with our own children, we can truly understand what Christmas is all about. It’s about love.”