Portland avoids Christmas in annual tree ceremony amid controversy
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Portland, Oregon, is under fire for again holding its annual Christmas tree lighting ceremony and forgoing any mention of the Christian holiday, while event leaders instead waved a Palestinian flag and led the crowd in chants.
“Free Palestine, free, free,” said a woman holding a Palestinian flag on the stage of the lighting event while leading the crowd in a chant Friday evening, before also singing “Strong Woman Song” along with the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, which is a confederation of three native Oregon tribes.
The event featured Christmas lights, a traditionally decorated tree and a visit from Santa Claus, but made no mention of Christmas, with organizers instead advertising the festive occasion as “the 41st Annual Portland Tree Lighting Ceremony,” according to the social media accounts for Pioneer Courthouse Square, where the tree is on display.
Fox News Digital reviewed Portland government’s Facebook, X and Instagram accounts and found ads and images showing tree lighting but did not include the word “Christmas.” A calendar of the annual event shows that organizers have skirted calling it a “Christmas” tree lighting event since at least 2019.
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Portland, Oregon, is under fire for not mentioning Christmas while promoting its annual Christmas tree lighting at a local square. (Getty Images)
“The Portland tree is lit!” said a caption on an Instagram video shared by the Portland, Oregon Instagram account.
“The 41st Annual Portland Tree Lighting Ceremony presented by SmartPark is happening tonight! » said another post shared on social media by the Portland, Oregon, government and Pioneer Courthouse Square.
“Celebrate the culmination of the holiday season downtown as Santa flips the switch, illuminating more than 9,500 colorful LED lights to illuminate our city’s 75-foot Douglas fir, generously donated by Stimson Lumber for everyone to enjoy. SEE YOU TONIGHT, PORTLAND! » he added.
Social media commenters said online that the deep blue city refused to say the word “Christmas”.
“The city of Portland and local media call it ‘The Tree’ because they look down on Christians like me and many of you so much that they can’t bring themselves to say the word ‘Christmas,'” independent journalist David Medina told X.
Conservative critics on social media say the recent Christmas tree lighting ceremony in Portland, Oregon, made no mention of Christmas. (Fred de Noyelle via Getty Images)
“They can’t even say Christmas tree in Portland. They call it ‘the tree,'” another conservative account posted on X in response to a video Medina posted.
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“Thousands of people came to the Christmas tree lighting — and many told me that parts of the program seemed like inappropriate political messaging and inappropriate for a family event. Why are our public traditions being dragged into ideology and virtue instead of serving the community? Portland deserves events that unite us, not moments that push someone’s narrative,” community journalism newspaper PDX Real published on X.
“In Portland they’re trying to take Christmas off the Christmas tree. It’s a Christmas tree, it’s always been a Christmas tree, and it will always be a Christmas tree. These people will take everything slowly until there’s nothing left if they get the chance,” one social media account posted.
A handful of local media outlets described the Christmas tree as a “Christmas tree” in their headlines, while others referred to the event as a “Christmas tree lighting,” as did some local officials on their social media accounts, Fox News Digital found.
The office of Democratic Portland, Oregon Mayor Keith Wilson also explicitly referred to the event as a “Christmas tree lighting” in response to Fox News Digital while brushing off criticism of the event.
“Mayor Wilson was thrilled to join Portland’s annual Christmas tree lighting alongside Christmas carolers and holiday festivities,” Wilson’s office said when asked about the criticism. “That said, framing it any other way seems entirely out of reach.”
Pioneer Courthouse Square displayed Portland, Oregon’s main Christmas tree, dating back decades. (Craig Mitchelldyer/Getty Images)
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The tree lighting ceremony also included a group of women, including the woman holding a Palestinian flag singing the “Strong Woman Song,” which is an intertribal indigenous song, while a representative from the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs argued that the lighting ceremony took place on the same day as Native American Heritage Day.
“On this Native American Heritage Day, I feel both gratitude and truth,” one woman said from the stage. “The tree we stand next to was once rooted in its own home and brought it here to a complexity that indigenous and tribal people feel deeply in our teachings. Trees, rivers, mountains, all living things are family more than the objects and more than the symbols they might represent.”
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The event in Oregon was attended by thousands of people, according to local media, and many party-goers told media they were excited to take part in this long-standing tradition.
