If you happen to visit the Capital during Christmas, you will experience an extraordinary festival spirit which you would rarely come across in any other city within United States. Here are a few interesting places to visit during your Washington, D.C. sightseeing tours in Christmas.

National Christmas Tree Lighting
Witness the spectacular National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony on the Ellipse, south of the White House. Since 1923, the United States has held a tradition of lighting a National Christmas Tree in Washington, DC. , a 40-foot Colorado blue spruce, surrounded by  56 smaller, decorated trees representing all 50 states, five territories, and the District of Columbia. The lighting of the National Christmas Tree is the beginning of a three week Washington, DC Christmas tradition. This year, the event had introduced a new lottery system to distribute tickets to the general public. The new online lottery was available November 4th to November 6th 2099 on   www.thenationaltree.org

Festival of Lights at Mormon Temple
Mormon Temple, which is the Washington, DC Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints hosts excellent musical performances, nativity exhibits, and exclusive Christmas films in its state-of-the-art theater. The church and its surrounding are bedecked with sparkling lights during Christmas making it a sight not to be missed during your Washington, D.C. tour

U.S. Botanic Garden
The U.S. Botanic Garden presents a unique exhibit featuring phenomenal replicas of Washington, DC’s most famous buildings and monuments. The U.S. Botanic Garden has a special Christmas show and display that opens on Thanksgiving Day and remains open through the first Sunday in January, every day including Christmas and New Year’s. It showcases model trains made up of real plant material and a fantastic botanical display which is delightful to watch at.

Mount Vernon Candlelight Tours
Enjoy candlelit walks, fireside caroling and festive ambience of the 18th century Christmas during Mount Vernon Candlelight Tours. Visitors learn about the Christmas traditions of George Washington and his family, meet historic characters and tour the Mount Vernon Estate by candlelight with hot cider and ginger cookies. The interesting part of the candlelight tour is the final stop, where guests get to know about 18th century Christmas cooking. Visitors are given a complimentary copy of Martha Washington’s famous cake recipe.

The National Zoo
The National Zoo presents a display of thousands of sparkling lights featuring sculptures of many of the Zoo’s most popular animals, including giant pandas, Asian elephants, gibbons, and sea lions as a part of the Christmas celebration. This exclusive celebration is called ZooLights, popular for its live entertainment, storytelling and cookie decorating events, ice-sculpting demonstrations, and special choral group singing during Christmas.