US Senator Mark Warner (D-VA) decorates a Christmas tree with local students. (Office of Sen. Mark R. Warner)
Milk, cookies, and Christmas cheer—that’s how Virginia students helped bring the holiday spirit into US Sen. Mark Warner’s office.
A holiday tradition with roots that span more than a decade recently graced Capitol Hill. US Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) invited a group of elementary school children to help decorate freshly cut Christmas trees.
As in years past, the trees came from Mount Rogers Christmas Tree Farm in Centreville. Now sitting tall in the Capitol Hill office are a 12-foot and a 7-foot Fraser fir.
“Particularly with all that’s going on today, it’s valuable,” Warner said to Dogwood. “We celebrate the holiday season in my office. Every year I’ve been in, we bring in a big Christmas tree.”
A group of third and fourth graders brought handmade ornaments to Capitol Hill. (Office of Sen. Mark R. Warner)
The group Warner hosted this year was comprised of third and fourth graders from Woodburn Elementary School. The school is located in Fairfax County.
“Usually elementary school kids, they bring homemade decorations and they hang it on the tree,” Warner said. “And oftentimes, we get TV coverage, so the kids maybe get to see themselves on TV later in the evening. And it’s just a real feel-good moment.”
Together with the senator, the group enjoyed seasonal tunes, yummy milk and cookies, and, of course, the festive tree decorating event.
“I love to have these young kids with all of their energy, enthusiasm, and kind of just wonderment about being in a senate office and seeing a big tree and decorating it,” Warner said.
The fun culminated with a variety of coloring actives and games.
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