Tuesday, December 03, 2013

The Lighting of the Tree

Andrea and I went to Union Station to participate in the annual lighting of the Norwegian Christmas tree. The people of Norway are grateful for the assistance of the American military during the Nazi occupation of their country during World War II and, as a symbol of their gratitude to the American people, they give a Christmas tree that is placed in Washington's Union Station. WETA's Robert Aubrey Davis was the Master of Ceremonies, and, as always, the ceremony was both moving and festive.


  This year, in addition to the little Norwegian and American flags, the tree was decorated with many small illuminated Screams, the face of Edvard Munch's very famous painting "The Scream." 2013 marks the 150th anniversary of Munch's birth.


                        See the little Screams?

Two opera singers from the New York Opera Society sang the Norwegian and American national anthems. The new Norwegian ambassador to the United States gave a moving speech.



Norwegian refreshments were served.

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