Portland’s annual tree-lighting ceremony sparked outrage over the weekend after city officials referred to the festive display only as “the tree,” avoiding any mention of Christmas during the 41st annual event in Pioneer Courthouse Square, the New York Post reported Monday.
Thousands of attendees gathered to witness the lighting of the 75-foot tree, which featured 10,000 bulbs, but some criticized the city for omitting “Christmas” from the ceremony and its advertising.
The event started with a tribute to Native American Heritage Day, led by a Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs woman who thanked the crowd and introduced younger members of the American Indians. The celebration was described solely as “the tree lighting” before the microphone was passed to another speaker.
Read more at Newsmax© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.