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Online lottery for White House tree lighting

It’s been a Washington tradition for years. People line up in the cold on a designated day to get the coveted tickets to the National Christmas Tree Lighting on the Ellipse.

It’s a tradition that is about to change, like the White House Easter Egg Roll earlier this year.

If you want the free tickets, you will have to enter a lottery system Nov. 4-6. This is the first time a lottery has been held for the lighting tickets.

The National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony will be Thursday, Dec. 3. The event signals the beginning of the Pageant of Peace, which runs for four weeks.

The National Park Service and the National Park Foundation sponsor the events.

The new online lottery will be available beginning at 12:01 am (EST) Wednesday, Nov. 4. The lottery will remain open until 11:59 pm (EST) Friday, Nov. 6.

The process will allot 9,800 tickets — 2,800 seated and 7,000 standing room. The standing room tickets are new this year.

If you want tickets, but don’t have access to a computer, you can call 877-444-6777 — or for TDD, call 877-833-6777 — from Nov. 4-6 to place your name in the lottery.

The National Park Service said ticket seekers may check the status of their request online or through the call center beginning Nov. 9.

Tickets will be mailed to lottery seekers by Nov. 15.

Why a lottery system vs. standing in line? The National Park Service said the lottery opens the ticketing process to more Americans across the country.

The gates open for the Dec. 3 event for all ticket holders at 3:30 p.m.

The entertainment for this year’s show, before the tree lighting, will be announced later this month.

Lottery site

The National Christmas Tree