From the program for the 2018 National Christmas Tree Lighting -- Wednesday, November 28, 2018:
This year's National Christmas Tree, designed and lit by GE Lighting, features a simply stated elegant design brought to life with sparkling mesh lighting, and twinkling, red illuminated sphere ornaments.
This is the tenth consecutive year that LED lights, many of them Energy Star® qualified, have been used exclusively, along with lighter-weight materials to continue the tradition of resource preservation in lighting the National Christmas Tree. Special consideration was given to use materials safer for birds and other living creatures who take up residence among the decorations.
For a beautiful daytime appearance, the sparkling red-mesh ribbons glisten in natural light. To compliment the theme, an heirloom, star-shaped tree topper, with commercial LED signage product, illuminates a soft beacon of light, commemorating traditions of the season.
This year's lighting design includes 74,000 LED chips. The total cost to light the tree over the holiday season, from dusk until 11:00 P.M. every night, is under $200. That's about one-fifth of what a comparable design would be with incandescent lights. In terms of environmental impact, using LEDs saves 7.000 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions, and avoids burning about two tons of coal.
This year's tree was designed using GE Lighting products available to consumers, which means that anyone may replicate the look in their own homes and share in the tradition of the National Christmas Tree.
This is the 56th year GE holiday lights have illuminated the National Christmas Tree on the Ellipse.