America 250 Christmas tree ornament unveiled
Pres. Trump celebrates the Navy’s 250th anniversary
President Donald Trump is joining sailors and military leaders in Norfolk, Virginia for a celebration of the Navy’s 250th anniversary. "I believe, ‘THE SHOW MUST GO ON!’" Trump posted Friday night, after weather initially postponed the event. President Trump wrote before leaving the White House for Naval Station Norfolk, "This will be a show of Naval aptitude and strength."
America will celebrate its 250th birthday next year, and a keepsake to mark the occasion has been unveiled.
A Christmas tree ornament was unveiled this week.
America 250 ornament
Keepsake ornament box, Official Commemorative Ornament of America’s 250th Anniversary Celebration
The backstory:
The planning organization behind the big anniversary worked with the White House Historical Association to create the ornament.
The White House Historical Association has sold a popular ornament every year since 1981, honoring a president or key White House anniversary. More than 1 million of those ornaments are now sold every year, and it is rare for the White House association to release an ornament outside of its annual holiday series.
Presently:
The limited-edition, hand-crafted ornament features the Declaration of Independence, the document the Second Continental Congress used to announce it was breaking away from Britain on July 4, 1776.
One side of the keepsake features the document printed on linen and the other side shows American flags waving atop the White House and the America250 logo with the years 1776-2026 on a red ribbon. The ornament is trimmed in 24-karat gold.
What they're saying:
Stewart McLaurin, the White House association’s president, said his nonprofit organization had helped create a collector’s piece "that embodies the spirit and history of our nation."
Big picture view:
It is made by the veteran-owned Rhode Island company that produces the White House association’s ornaments, and will be sold exclusively starting Monday at America250.org for $26.95, and in January on the White House association's website.
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America 250
Ornament front view close-up, Official Commemorative Ornament of America’s 250th Anniversary Celebration
The backstory:
America250 is the organization created by Congress in 2016 to oversee the celebration of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
Timeline:
The multi-year celebration will include events in all 50 states and six U.S. territories. It formally launched July 4, 2023, during an MLB game between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Chicago Cubs at American Family Field in Milwaukee.
Dig deeper:
Organizers and leaders say they hope the commemoration will be a time of unity and cooperation for the country where political agreements seem rare and political tension is heightened.
Former Presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush joined the effort to commemorate the occasion, with former first ladies Michelle Obama and Laura Bush serving as honorary national co-chairs of America250.
The Source: Information in this article was taken from an America250 news release and from the White House Historical Association. Background information was taken from previous FOX Television Station reporting and from The Associated Press. This story was reported from Detroit.