1995

Garlands of pine boughts, golden ribbons, and red and white lights were woven together, draping the tree from the top. They intertwined with strands of lighted beads in laced rows of blue, green, and red to form a stunning basketweave effect of garlands and beads with illuminated stars peeking from between the latticework. At each point where the beads and graland crossed, a three-dimensional glowing ribbon was attached. The 108 ribbons were coated with a special hologram material that allowed them to sparkle under sunlight during the day.

"Unity" was the theme of the Pageant in 1995, but the public had to view the tree from outside the fence that surrounds the area and there were no Pageant of Peace programs, since the govenment was shut down because of the stalemate between the Legislative and the Executive branches over the federal budget. President Clinton personally funded the lighting of the tree -- otherwise it would have been dark during the entire Holiday season.

[Scanned from original photographic slide.]