See Your National Parks in Ornaments Around the 2021 National Christmas Tree

2021 America Celebrates ornament display at President's Park

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Every year, students from across the nation create design one-of-a-kind ornaments for the America Celebrates display that surrounds the National Christmas Tree. The students are asked a simple question: what makes your state beautiful?

To celebrate the places they call home, some students decided to be a little bit abstract and funny, like drawing a potato on a couch in Idaho or an alligator tanning under the Florida sun. Others drew state flowers, notable landmarks and nature sites.

From Yellowstone National Park’s giant geyser to Blue Ridge Parkway’s scenic and colorful trees, some students across the country chose national parks as places that make their states special.

We’ve included some of the parks we found (but there could be more!). Check out the wonderful one-of-a-kind artwork. Visiting the America Celebrates display in person? How many of these ornaments can you find?

The lighting of the National Christmas Tree at President’s Park in Washington, DC has been a beloved holiday tradition for nearly 100 years. Every December, people can also enjoy the one-of-a-kind ornaments. As part of the 2021 America Celebrates ornament display, students from across the nation and abroad designed and created ornaments that symbolize the history, heritage, and culture of their homelands. The pieces of artwork are now hanging on the 58 smaller trees that represent the U.S. states, territories, and the District of Columbia.

Schools managed by the Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Indian Education and the Department of Defense Education Activity also participated in the display for the first time this year.

Art has been part of the history of national parks since the 1870s, capturing artists’ imagination year-around and inspiring the nation to protect these special places.

Arches National Park created by Jean Massieu School of the Deaf

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Badlands National Park by Tri-Valley High School

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Blue Ridge Parkway by Alleghany County Schools North Carolina

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Gateway Arch National Park by Gasconade County R-2

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Grand Canyon National Park by by Nogales High School

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Grand Teton National Park by Eastside Elementary

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Mesa Verde National Park by Merino Junior Senior High School

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New River Gorge National Park and Preserve by Robert L. Bland Middle School

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Rainbow Bridge National Monument by Pine Springs Day School

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Yellowstone National Park by Idaho Arts Charter School

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Yosemite National Park by Thousand Oaks Elementary School

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