The national Christmas tree, a symbol of the United States’ seasonal cheer, was not twinkling. Instead, the tree was closed on Friday, before the government partially shut down at midnight that night. The government shutdown has stretched into the holiday with an array of federal services frozen.
“The National Park Foundation and hundreds of local philanthropic organizations and other park partners are always working to help ensure all people have access to our treasured national parks,” Will Shafroth, president of the National Park Foundation, said in a statement. “The National Park Foundation’s support to President’s Park is one example of how private philanthropy can help support national parks when they need it most.”
But not even the government shutdown can take away the spirit of Christmas as the National Park Foundation announced on Monday that the site of the National Christmas Tree in Washington would reopen. Support from the National Park Service’s charitable foundation allowed the site to reopen on Christmas Eve.
“The National Park Foundation and hundreds of local philanthropic organizations and other park partners are always working to help ensure all people have access to our treasured national parks,” Shafroth said.
Opening the tree site costs $1,470 per day and the tree’s lights will be on from dusk until 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday. On Friday and Saturday, the lights will remain on until 11 p.m.
Due to the partial government shutdown, about 800,000 federal employees face deferred pay while about 380,000 were to be furloughed. Facilities at many national parks were shut down, and thousands of federal buildings are to remain closed when the workweek resumed. Unless President Donald Trump and members of Congress can break through a budget impasse, the White House said the shutdown could drag on into 2019.
By: Maytinee Kramer
