Tennessee Governor Bill Lee and First Lady Maria Lee announced that the state’s annual official Christmas events, including Christmas at the Capitol and “Heaven and Nature Sing” tours of the Tennessee Residence, will begin next week.
Maria & I look forward to welcoming Tennesseans to Christmas at the Capitol this holiday season, while continuing the tradition of generosity alongside Tennessee Serves. https://t.co/MQtQ4Zbz47
— Gov. Bill Lee (@GovBillLee) November 20, 2023
As part of the First Lady’s Tennessee Serves initiative, the Lees are inviting guests to bring requested items to the state’s Christmas events in support of five nonprofit organizations including Creative Aging Memphis, Birthright of Memphis, Jonathan’s Path, Dismas House, and Sevier County Food Ministries, according to a press release by Lee’s office.
“Maria and I look forward to continuing the Tennessee tradition of generosity throughout the holiday season,” Governor Lee said in a statement. “We invite Tennesseans to join us in giving back as we reflect on our many blessings and prepare our hearts to receive the ultimate gift, the birth of Christ.”
This year’s Christmas at the Capitol celebration will begin at 5:30 pm CT on Monday. The event is free and open to the public.
The event will feature the Choir Room Choir, the 129th Army Band, a visit from Santa, and the annual Christmas tree lighting ceremony.
This year’s tree, a 35-foot Norway spruce, will be donated by Ms. Dexie Goff of Springfield, who is a retired Army veteran.
Individuals who attend the Christmas at the Capitol celebration are encouraged to bring donations to specifically benefit Sevier County Food Ministries, including canned fruits and vegetables, baby diapers, and wipes.
Tours of the Tennessee Residence – also known as the Governor’s Mansion – are also available beginning next week, according to the governor’s office, from December 1 to December 3 and December 7 to December 10.
This year’s Christmas décor theme, “Heaven and Nature Sing,” “portrays the larger-than-life magic experienced during the holiday season, the beauty of Tennessee’s natural landscapes, and the joy of the coming of Christ and the salvation of the world,” according to the governor’s office.
Tours of the Tennessee Residence are free but require a reservation.
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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Kaitlin on X / Twitter.
Photo “Bill Lee and Maria Lee” by Gov. Bill Lee.
