US First Lady Laura Bush joined pop stars Destiny’s Child and Marc Anthony on Wednesday night for the traditional Christmas tree-lighting ceremony at Manhattan’s Rockefeller Center. The famed tree, which this year stands at 81 feet tall and bears 30,000 light bulbs, drew a crowd of 100,000 people eager to share in the patriotic moment.
“America loves New York,” said Laura as she flicked the switch. “The magic has returned to the Big Apple, and it’s time to turn on the lights.”
“This is really a salute to the heroes, traditions, strengths and unity of the United States of America,” said out-going New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani.
Tony Bennett, Vanessa Williams and Jessica Simpson all performed at the celebration, adding extra sparkle to the televised event, as Americans from all over the States packed the streets.
“When the World Trade Center was struck, I wondered just for a moment if there would be a tree lighting this year,” said one onlooker. “In retrospect, there couldn’t have been a better year to be here.”
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
