Free Republic

2. While the contemporary world has converted to the theory of ‘less is more’, some people take the concept way too far. This terribly frail, one-branched tree seems like a killjoy for any Christmas gathering. The tree is so small that gifts the size of ring boxes will barely fit underneath the branch-less stem. Maybe that is the whole idea though?

The President and first lady were woken shortly after retiring to their residence at the White House Thursday night by a commotion on the south lawn. The Bidens rose and ventured out in to find a large crowd had gathered including a sizeable contingent of the national press. Making their way to the center of the gathering, Joe and Jill Biden were surprised to see President-elect Donald Trump and his wife Melania at a podium under the national Christmas Tree. The Trumps were joined by their extended family as well as many of the incoming president's cabinet picks, including entrepreneur...

Is he the Ghost of Christmas Past — or just another Scrooge? President Biden shocked attendees at the White House’s National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony on Thursday night when he doffed his stocking cap to reveal long, wispy locks — appearing more like a character out of Charles Dickens’ Yuletide classic than the commander-in-chief. His white, billowy hair stood on end from the wool cap’s static electricity, spooking the White House press corps by making him seem older — and ghostlier — than usual. The shocking portraits of the 82-year-old president immediately began circulating online, earning him comparisons to the...

Jill Biden on Monday received the 2024 White House Christmas tree. Dr. Jill walked out to the tree welcoming ceremony with Hunter’s youngest son, Beau. First Lady Jill Biden and her grandson Beau retrieve the White House Christmas tree. pic.twitter.com/vNVNSjbmWw — The Recount (@therecount) November 25, 2024 The tree, a Frasier fir, came from a Christmas tree farm in the Blue Ridge Mountains in North Carolina. Jill Biden said the Blue Ridge Mountains was recently devastated by Hurricane Helene and the Cartner family lost thousands of trees in the storm. “But this one remain standing and they named it ‘Treemendous’...

In a viral video, TikTokers Mason and Mai (@savingforboba), a couple known for sharing hacks with their 12,000 Followers, unveiled their latest Christmas Hack. In the five-second video, Mai picks up an artificial Christmas Tree at a store and walking away, with a tree in hand. Text over the video reads: “Picking up my free Christmas tree thanks to the 30-day policy.” Mason and Mai are implying that by purchasing an artificial Christmas Tree, using it, and returning it within the 30-day window of buying it, they get a free tree. By returning it within 30 days, they get...

A Philadelphia suburb school district issued a memo instructing employees to remove Christmas-themed decorations and attire, following complaints from parents. The district later clarified that holiday displays are not banned, but employees should aim to create an inclusive environment. “As per Dr. Marseille” — Wagner Marseille, the superintendent of the Wallingford-Swathmore School District — “he has been receiving complaints from parents concerning District employees displaying ‘Christmas’ themed decorations and/or wearing clothing of the same nature,” the memo read. “If you have decorated your bus with anything specific to the Christmas Holiday or any other decorations relating to a specific religion,...

A recent incident involving a Tesla Cybertruck getting stuck carrying a Christmas tree in a California forest has become a viral sensation, especially because the stranded electric vehicle was rescued by a gas-powered Ford F150. The Los Angeles Times reports that a Tesla Cybertruck became the center of attention after sliding down a snowy embankment while carrying a Christmas tree on its roof. Much to the embarrassment of fans of Elon Musk’s odd-looking electric vehicles, the stranded EV was rescued by a Ford F150 that pulled the Cybertruck to safety. The post was originally made to Facebook but quickly went...

Look “whooo” is in the holiday spirit. A baby owl blended into a Kentucky family’s Christmas tree for days before an eagle-eyed carpet cleaner spotted the bird perched on a branch. The feathered guest spent four days inside homeowner Michelle White’s living room after her family lugged back their Christmas tree this month – a yearly tradition.

For the past 91 years California governors have taken part in the annual Christmas tree lighting on the grounds of the state capitol in Sacramento. But this year Gov. Gavin Newsom ended the tradition.The Democrat executive surrendered to pro-Palestinian activists who threatened to disrupt the ceremony.

True Leadership Stops It.. People talk about the Weimar Republic that gave rise to Adolph Hitler but very few understand what the Weimar was all about. ... from deceased Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia.. The Germany of the late 1920s and early 1930s was a world leader in most fields of art, science and intellect. ... Berlin had three opera houses, and Germany as a whole no less than eighty. Every middle-sized city had its own orchestra ... And in science, of course, the Germans were preeminent…. The Germany of 1920 had a significantly higher per capita educational level than...

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Reports have surfaced of a squirrel wearing a "Make America Great Again" hat scurrying away as the National Christmas Tree came crashing down. Capitol Police have launched a city-wide hunt for the dangerous insurrectionist, who has thus far evaded every trap. "We are currently investigating the attack on the National Christmas Tree as an act of domestic terrorism," said Attorney General Merrick Garland. "This was not simply a squirrel jumping from limb to limb, all nimbly-bimbly. No, this was an assault on democracy itself." Investigators believe the squirrel may have had accomplices, as literally thousands of squirrels...

The Weekly Gardening Thread is a weekly gathering of folks that love soil, seeds and plants of all kinds. From complete newbies that are looking to start that first potted plant, to gardeners with some acreage, to Master Gardener level and beyond, we would love to hear from you. If you have specific question about a plant/problem you are having, please remember to state the Growing Zone where you are located. This thread is a non-political respite. No matter what, you won’t be flamed, and the only dumb question is the one that isn’t asked. It is impossible to hijack...

Massachusetts residents who fought to end the war on Christmas in their hometown are celebrating the return of an annual tradition after a public library tried to upend the holiday season. Marianne Martin and Jason Brogan, residents of Dedham, Mass., spoke out about their efforts to display an annual Christmas tree in the Endicott Branch Library Monday on "Jesse Watters Primetime." "I’m sorry, this Christmas tree has brought out just a beautiful unity of different voices, people that I think come from different political ideologies, different ethnicities, different religions," Martin said. "But they all got behind this, and it’s a...

Christmas is in the air at the White House, as Jill Biden welcomed the official tree to kick off the start of the holiday season. The first lady was on hand for the customary arrival of the White House Christmas tree on Monday. Holding the hand of her 2-year-old grandson, Beau, Biden exclaimed, “I love the tree!” Biden said that Beau “wanted to come out and see the tree.” “Beautiful,” she told reporters.

President Joe Biden gave Republicans an early Christmas gift this year. LL Cool J introduced the president and first lady Jill Biden on Thursday evening at the National Christmas Tree lighting ceremony, which was held at the Ellipse south of the White House, but the cheering crowd had to wait nearly two minutes for the pair to show up. Music played for part of the time — the rest was filled with silence until the rapper spoke up again and said, "We're going to do it again." He then told the crowd to sit down again. Someone else could be...

While this year’s Cromwell Family Tree may be dry, scraggly, under-lighted, and not that impressive in its current form, it is going to be something to behold when it goes up in flames2020 hasn’t offered much to celebrate, to put it mildly. Sure, we’ve all found our escapes, things that offer respite from Zoom meetings, for those of us fortunate enough to be able to transition to life through Zoom. People slowed down, spent more time together, cooked more. But sources of joy have been a bit farther between this year. This is particularly true as we head into a...

Nobody has ever loved Christmas as much as my Jewish dad did.I have known few people in my life who loved Christmas as much as my Jewish father did. I would never suggest that he married my Catholic mother just to get Christmas — she was very beautiful and they loved each other very much — but look, it was certainly a bonus. Once this Bar Mitzvah boy got his hooks into the yule log, he went wild. Nowhere was this more pronounced than in our small family’s Christmas tree. His thing was to buy the tree the morning of...

A sparse and sad-looking Christmas tree erected outside Macy's in Cincinnati, Ohio has been dubbed the 'ultimate symbol of 2020'. Photos of the 'pathetic' spruce were shared to social media on Saturday, with dozens of users claiming it perfectly reflected a gloomy year that featured racially-motivated violence, political turmoil and a global pandemic. 'Not sure what happened to the Christmas tree at Fountain Square but it's the most #Christmas2020 tree ever,' Cincinnati Enquirer photojournalist Cara Owsley wrote on Twitter. She then shared an image of the tree, which featured an exposed trunk and thin, drooping branches.

A Durham, New Hampshire celebration scheduled for the beginning of holidays is undergoing some changes this year in an effort to remove religious overtones. Formerly called the Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony, the newly named Frost Fest will include the absence of a formal tree lighting. Santa will be at the event but he will not arrive in a town firetruck as he has in the past. The wreaths that traditionally adorned lamp posts on Main Street will also not be present this year. Town Councilor Sally Tobias says the changes came about after some controversy last holiday season. “There was...

A battle is brewing in Wisconsin and you can weigh in with other Americans to stop this War on Christmas Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers does not like a Christmas tree being called a Christmas tree. So he is changing it. According to a Washington Post article, Gov. Evers has said the Christmas tree in the Capitol rotunda, as of this year, will be called a "holiday" tree. Thus the War on Christmas continues. Those like Gov. Evers don't like the fact that the Christmas tree is identified with the Christian faith. Republican Scott Fitzgerald, the state Senate majority leader and...