FEATURE/Hargrove Decorates National Christmas Tree for 47th Year.

Entertainment Editors

FEATURE...

LANHAM, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE FEATURES)--Nov. 28, 2001

Most people have enough trouble putting a few hundred lights and some decorations on their Christmas tree.

Hargrove, Inc. has an annual Christmas season assignment that involves 125,000 lights, large ornaments, and thousands of feet of garland. Since 1954, the Lanham, Md.-based special event, trade show and custom exhibit company has decorated the National Christmas Tree and the 56 smaller trees representing the states, District of Columbia and U.S. territories.

The company provides decorating services for the annual Pageant of Peace on The Ellipse in Washington, D.C., including the 41-foot live Colorado Blue Spruce used since 1978. "It's a special honor for us to handle the decorating this year because I believe the ceremony will have even greater meaning than usual for Americans," said company president Earl C. Hargrove, Jr. who has handled the chore during other crucial times in American history.

"We decorated the tree following President Kennedy's assassination, however, it was not lit until 30 days after his death. We also handled the event during the Iranian hostage crisis and the preparations for the Gulf War."

This year, Hargrove workers will use 125,000 blue and clear lights, lighted red garland, 85 large star ornaments, and a design donated by General Electric to decorate the main tree. The 56 smaller trees will feature a red and white or blue and white decorating theme.

"In earlier days we had to screw in all the bulbs, check the lines and splice new connections before we began decorating. Now everything is new each year," said Bill Law, who worked on the project for more than 25 years.

"We use the same two employees to decorate all the 56 smaller trees so they will look alike," said Mr. Hargrove. "We've been using bucket trucks to do the decorating since 1973, when live planted trees began to be used exclusively. Before that, the trees were so large we had to decorate from huge scaffolding. Working on the scaffolding could be a real adventure, especially during one of Washington's ice storms.

"In 1955, after President Eisenhower lit the tree remotely from Gettysburg, lights on the top part of the tree went out. The scaffolding was already down, so I was elected to climb the tree and find the problem," Mr. Hargrove said.

Once, Hargrove placed a star atop the tree while dressed as Santa Claus. However, the pillow used to add bulk to his figure came loose and his pants fell before he reached the top.

Keeping with modern tradition, Lynne B. Cheney, wife of the vice-president, will place the top ornament on the National Christmas Tree November 28th, but Hargrove will remain on the job working on the traditional Nativity scene, signage, and lighting necessary for the Pageant of Peace in preparation for the December 6th Presidential tree lighting ceremony.

Hargrove, Inc. is a veteran of major national celebrations including every Presidential Inauguration since 1949, monument dedications, the national bicentennial, and homecoming ceremonies for troops from Operation Desert Storm.