 Dressed in their beautiful costumes, inspired by Charles Dickens from all the Disney World. Ladies and gentlemen, the voices of Liberty. It's the most wonderful time of the year. It's the most marvelous, joyous, most wonderful time. It's your Alan Bonner who will start us off with the Air Force Band, Joy to the World. If you want to sing, do, we have a medley of all favorites. Thank you sir. The last one in our medley and we want everybody to get in the spirit, get the mood set, get the tree lights all shaken up so we can sing a little bit of Jingle Bells. What would it be like without Jingle Bells? The sleigh is all set, the reindeer on order. And okay, if we can, please major at a one and a two and a three. Let's go. Air Force Band, let's have a big round of applause for Mickey, for many, for the entire gang. And now, while we're all hot... Your Master of Ceremonies for the 1985 Christmas Fage and a Feast Pre-Lighting Ceremony, Willard Scott, escorted by those famous Goodwill Ambassadors from Walt Disney World, Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse. And right now, ladies and gentlemen, if you will please welcome with me from Galesburg, one of the great towns in all America. Ladies and gentlemen, the music you're about to hear is the beginning of the Christmas season. For six consecutive years, which means either one of two things, they can't get anybody else or he's doing a dynamite job. Would you welcome back one of my favorite people in the whole world, Mr. Joseph H. Riley. Thank you very much, Santa. On behalf of all of us who bring you this annual pageant, Boy Made Good, Mr. Willard Scott. For 25 years, the General Electric Company of Cleveland, Ohio through Mr. Frank Legaza has designed and provided the lighting for our national tree as well as the state trees we have here surrounding the main tree. We are grateful for GE's generosity and most appreciative to be the beneficiary of these three visual trees. The Washington Convention and Visitors Association and the National Park Service National Capital Region, which gives year round care to this national Christmas tree and our beautiful park. They also provide help and coordination during the three weeks the trees are lighted. Thanks also to the many groups who provide evening programs for the pleasure of our visitors who come to Washington and they are many because last year we had 900,000 persons that visited this site for the annual spectacle. A very special thank you to the Westport Marketing Group of Westport, Connecticut, their Chairman Richard Rovsec and Peggy Henkel. For the 50 year they have provided production and coordination of many elements of the pageant. Each year a theme is chosen for the pageant and this year our theme is traditions. By comparison to many countries ours is a young nation. Our traditions therefore may not be as deep rooted but like the tree that we like this evening they have enjoyed a steady growth. The tradition of Christmas regardless of religious belief spotlights to the world the image of the United States. The very foundation thank you all for being with us this evening and to continue our program the world's greatest Santa, Mr. Willard Scott. Joe's asked me to announce that copies of his speech are available just in $2,000 to Joseph Riley in care of any fixed address. This is one of the great thrills for me to come home because I consider this my hometown number one. Old Santa Claus you know comes from Washington, D.C. Anybody that's ever tried to hit the Federal Treasury up knows that. But to be back here to light the national Christmas tree and be a part of this especially on this night when I'm grateful because just today old Santa you know works for RCA. And it was just announced today that... That sounds good let's put some words to that. Do you love a Christmas tree? Yes we love a Christmas tree. And isn't all the candy free? Oh you saw the candy's free, candy free. Christmas tree, what a merry Christmas tree, yeah! Would you like to hear him do one more? Do you like that? There's more where that came from. On court time. Thank you all so much. That was beautiful from Disney World. The voices of Liberty and a medley of all favorites. Now at this point of the program it is always traditional and appropriate to have a Christmas prayer. And this here I'm pleased to... Now that is really solid. We have a legend here tonight to perform for you. This man is truly a legend in show business and as a matter of fact he's had so many hit records and so many hit albums. Now ladies and gentlemen someone you're going to lose your heart to here and now for the pageant of peace our own special Christmas present Mr. Tony Bennett. Yes please thank you master. There must be some dreaming of a white Christmas just like the ones I used to know. Where the tree taps listen and children listen to hear sleigh bells in the snow. Merry Christmas with every Christmas car. May your day and may all Christmases be white. It's such a pleasure for me to sing with this magnificent Air Force Orchestra. And right now here's a song that was made very famous by the wonderful Nat King Cole. A song written by Mel Tommy. Chestnuts roasting on an open fire. Jack Frost nipping at your nose. Yuletide carols being sung by a quack. Dressed up like Eskimos. Everybody knows. A turkey and some mistletoe. Help to make the season bright. Tiny tots with their eyes all aglow. We'll find it hard to sleep tonight. They know that Santa's on his way. He's loaded lots of toys and goodies on his sleigh. And every mother's child will want to spy. To see if reindeer's really know how to fly. So I took kids from 1 to 92. Although it's been said many times. Many ways. Merry Christmas too. Thank you for being so lovely. Thank you. I'd love to have you meet my daughters Antonia and Joanna. It's Joanna and Antonia. In town all around that Christmas tree. Watch out, you better not cry. You better not fight. I'm telling you why Santa Claus is coming. Wonderful spiritual Christmas songs for you now with the wonderful Carl Somburg choir. Okay, whenever you're ready it's fine. We wish you a merry Christmas. We wish you a merry Christmas. And a happy new- Here's Piper Rae and Alan Bonner in the Air Force Band. Who could ask for more? Well, I see by the old clock on the wall that Santa Claus 1 and Mrs. Claus are standing by. And a brilliant introduction. My good friend Joseph Riley, the president of the pageant of peace. Bring on little Joe. Be great and thank you too, Mr. Bennett. Your appearance here tonight has been a highlight for all of us. Mr. Bennett will be back after the tree lighting with a special number for those here present. Now, if you will direct your attention to the large screen to your left, I have the honor to present to you, live from the White House, the president of the United States and Mrs. Reagan. Thank you, Joe Riley. My fellow Americans, thank you for joining Nancy and me on this festive evening. The menorah stands lighted in Lafayette Park, for this is also the time of Hanukkah, and this season is rich in the meaning of our Judeo-Christian tradition. In a moment we'll be lighting the National Christmas Tree, carrying forward what is now a 62-year tradition first begun by Calvin Coolidge. Tonight we are drawn in warmth to one another, as we reflect upon the deeply holy meaning of the miracle we shall soon celebrate. We know that Mary and Joseph reached the stable in Bethlehem sometime after sunset. We do not know the exact moment the Christ child was born. Only what we would have seen if we'd been standing there as we stand here now. Suddenly a star from heaven shining in our eyes, shining with brilliant beauty across the skies. A star pointing toward eternity in the night, like a great ring of pure and endless light. And then all was calm and all was bright. Such was the beginning of one solitary life that would shake the world as never before or since. When we speak of Jesus and of his life, we speak of a man revered as a prophet and teacher by people of all religions, and Christians speak of someone greater, a man who was and is divine. We brought forth a power that is infinite and a promise that is eternal, a power greater than all mankind's military might, for his power is godly love. Love that can lift our hearts and soothe our sorrows and heal our wounds and drive away our fears. He promised there will never be a long night that does not end. He promised to deliver us from dark torment and tragedy into the warming sunlight of human happiness and beyond that into paradise. He's never been a halfway giver. His generosity is pure and perfect and sure. This, then, expresses the true meaning of Christmas. If each of us could give but a fraction to one another of what we gave to what he gave to the whole human family, how many hearts could heal, how much sorrow and pain could be driven away? There's still time for joy and gladness to touch a sad and lonely soul, still time to feed a hungry child, to wrap a present for a kind old man feeling falorn and afraid, and to reach out to an abandoned mother raising children on her own. There's still time to remember our armed forces, to express our profound gratitude to those keeping watch on far away frontiers of freedom and to redouble our energies to account for our MIAs. They are not and never will be forgotten. And there's still time to remember the deepest truth of all, that there can be no prisons, no walls, no boundaries separating the members of God's family. Let us reach out tonight to every person who is persecuted. Let us embrace and comfort, support and love them. Let us come together as one family under the fatherhood of God, binding ourselves in a communion of hearts for tonight and tomorrow and for all time. May we give thanks for an America abundantly blessed for a nation united, free and at peace. May we carry forward the happiness of the Christmas spirit as the guiding star of our endeavors 365 days a year. And as we light this magnificent tree, may all the youthful hope and joy of America light up the heavens and make the angels sing. Merry Christmas and God bless you all. And now, we're going to light the tree. You'll be out of sight of yourself. A merry little Christmas. Make the Yuletide game. From now on, our troubles will be miles away. As in olden days, happy goals of your faithful friends will be dear to us. Gather near to us once more. Through the years, we all will be together. The fates allow. Hang a shiny Christmas now. Mickey and Minnie and our wonderful Santa, Willard Scott. And now as we leave here this evening, the Air Force Band will entertain with selections and the brass choir from the Pringery School will join in. So as you leave tonight, keep the spirit in your hearts and a very merry, merry Christmas to everyone.