A note from the state capital:

This is a special time of the year, and Crissy and I are honored to be able to celebrate with Tennesseans in a number of ways.
We recently kicked off the holiday season at the Capitol with our annual tree lighting. This year we have a beautiful 30-foot Norway spruce from Arrington with 6,000 LED lights that stands outside the State Capitol.  Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus joined us for the countdown to the lighting, and it was great to have RCA recording artist Chris Young perform.
Crissy and I read “’Twas the Night Before Christmas,” and a number of Tennesseans – including grown-ups – enjoyed having their pictures taken with Santa.  A reindeer was on hand, and there were horse-and-carriage rides.  It was a fun evening.
The First Lady and her staff have been especially busy with holiday preparations at the Residence.  The theme for this year’s decorations is “Tennessee Music.”
Communities across Tennessee are represented in the decorations.  We are grateful to the artists, museums and especially the children from across the state that helped in this “Home for the Holidays” celebration.  From the moment you walk through the front door of the Residence, the decorations say a lot about the state.  The tree in the entryway, a Frasier fir grown in Woodlawn, features ornaments from Tennessee’s 95 counties.  Each ornament is unique, created by an artist in each county.
The displays include items on loan from the Museum of Appalachia in East Tennessee, the Country Music Hall of Fame in Middle Tennessee and the Stax Museum in West Tennessee.  There are ornaments made by elementary school students from across the state based on their favorite holiday songs. Nashville area Christian high school students created ornaments for gospel music-themed trees, and Memphis’ Humes Middle School, alma mater of Elvis Presley, helped create a tree specifically about Elvis.
The Tennessee Residence is open for tours through December 14.  Everyone is welcome as long as the free tickets last.  For more information, please visit www.tn.gov/firstlady <http://www.tn.gov/firstlady> .
During this season when we often reflect on the many things we’re grateful for, I hope Tennesseans will think about our troops, especially those overseas and away from their families this holiday season.  They serve us proudly, and protect our freedom to celebrate the holidays.
Crissy and I wish you and your family a safe and happy holiday season. Published in The Messenger 12.6.12

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