Portland Holds Tree Lighting Ceremony
In what increasingly feels like a recurring sketch from a satire show that forgot where to stop, Portland, Oregon once again delivered a masterclass in performative progressivism during its 41st annual tree lighting ceremony. Yes, “tree” — because saying “Christmas” would apparently be too offensive for the city’s political gatekeepers. It was a celebration stripped of the holiday’s actual name, wrapped in activist messaging, and delivered to a crowd that, intentionally or not, watched the event become less about joy and more about ideological posturing.
The ceremony — traditionally a festive moment for families to gather, sip cocoa, and ring in the start of the Christmas season — began on Native American Heritage Day. That in itself isn’t controversial; recognizing Indigenous history and culture is valid and important. But the event didn’t merely include those elements. It made them the centerpiece, pushing the meaning of Christmas, and even its mere mention, entirely off the stage.
The tone was set early, with speakers from the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs welcoming attendees to “the tree lighting.” From there, the shift in focus became more pronounced. A woman draped in a Palestinian flag took the microphone and led the crowd in a “Free Palestine” chant.
The timing, she declared, was “perfect.” She cited genocide — without a trace of irony or acknowledgment of Hamas’ well-documented human rights abuses, nor the atrocities committed by terror groups against civilians in Israel and even Palestinians themselves. The event veered off course quickly, becoming less about unity or light and more a platform for political grievance.
Portland sparks outrage for city’s ‘tree’ lighting ceremony: ‘They can’t even say Christmas tree’ https://t.co/fU8tJL54JF pic.twitter.com/bOQ0AzUicl
— New York Post (@nypost) December 1, 2025
She followed up with a performance of the “Strong Woman Song,” flanked by two children and another woman, saying it was a tribute to matriarchal strength. And while the song’s intention wasn’t inherently divisive, its placement at a Christmas celebration — one now devoid of any explicit Christmas reference — underscored the city’s desire to reframe the holiday entirely through the lens of activist narratives.
Mayor Keith Wilson, a Democrat, eventually took the stage nearly an hour into the proceedings. He introduced Santa Claus and other officials and finally lit the tree — a moment that, stripped of context, might have still stirred some seasonal joy. But by that point, the ceremony felt more like an obligation than a celebration, as if the city had checked the box for “holiday event” while carefully tiptoeing around its traditional name and meaning.
The conspicuous absence of the word Christmas, coupled with the hijacking of the event for political messaging, raises uncomfortable questions about what exactly is being celebrated — and for whom. The city’s decision to erase explicit references to Christmas while allowing unrelated (and divisive) political chants leaves the impression that inclusivity isn’t the goal — ideological conformity is.
Critics were quick to point out the stark contrast: imagine, they say, if a Republican mayor oversaw a city-sanctioned event that deliberately avoided using the word Ramadan during a Muslim holiday observance. The backlash would be swift and unrelenting. But in Portland, the double standard seems not only tolerated, but expected.