A Christmas tree lighting ceremony was held yesterday evening at the Ramses Hilton ballroom. The ceremony started with children from the British International School singing popular Christmas carols. It was the fourth year for the International British School to join in with the Ramses Hilton's Christmas celebration. After the performance, Haitham Nassar, the hotel's general manager, made a welcoming speech, thanking guests for their patronage after a difficult year. He then counted down, along with the guests, to the lighting of the tree, covered in yellow and red lights. The children resumed singing and the ceremony finished with Santa Claus distributing gifts to the younger attendees. The lighting of the Christmas tree has been a popular yuletide event since 1923, when Calvin Coolidge became the first US President to turn it into an official event. Since then, every year the US president has presided over the lighting of a Christmas tree.
