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THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release December 4, 1997

                      REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT
             AT LIGHTING OF THE NATIONAL CHRISTMAS TREE

The Ellipse

5:50 P.M. EST

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much. I think in the spirit of Christmas, the best gift I could give is a very brief Christmas message. (Laughter and applause.) Let me say to all of you, we've been doing this now for 85 years -- for Hillary and me, Christmas begins with this wonderful ceremony. I want to thank all those responsible, and a special word of thanks to those who made it possible for the last three years for this beautiful Colorado spruce to be lit by solar energy. (Applause.)

Now I want to call up Whitney and Joseph, and ask them to stand with me, and put their hands on the switch. And I'm going to count down three, two, one, and they'll flip the switch and the Christmas tree will come on.

Merry Christmas to all of you. Three, two, one -- light the tree. (Applause.)

END 5:51 P.M. EST