Washington celebrates the holidays as the seat of the federal government, with traditions running from the National Christmas Tree lighting by the sitting president to the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree gifted each year by a different national forest. The combination of monumental architecture and the Smithsonian museums gives the season a distinctly civic character.

• National Christmas Tree: The official tree on the Ellipse south of the White House, lit each year by the sitting president, is surrounded by smaller trees representing every U.S. state and territory.
• U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree: A separate tradition: a tree harvested from a different national forest each year, transported across the country, and lit on the West Lawn of the Capitol.
• Smithsonian and Embassy Programming: The Smithsonian museums (all free) run holiday programming, while foreign embassies along Massachusetts Avenue host individual cultural holiday events found nowhere else in the country.
• Eastern Market and DC Food Tradition: The 1873 Eastern Market on Capitol Hill, the half-smoke at Ben's Chili Bowl, and Old Ebbitt Grill's holiday season (the oldest saloon in Washington, established in 1856) anchor the city's distinctly local holiday eating beyond the federal landmarks.