White House Christmas Tree Arrives

Wednesday, November 29th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

WASHINGTON (AP) â€” Hillary Rodham Clinton opened the Clintons' last Christmas season in the White House Wednesday by accepting an 18 1/2-foot Douglas fir from Pennsylvania for the annual holiday decorations. ``I'm going to miss being part of the festivities,'' she said.

Clinton, the New York U.S. senator-elect, also said the presidential controversy over whether Democrat Al Gore or Republican George W. Bush is the new president-elect can be resolved by Christmas. ``I believe that if these proceedings that both campaigns have filed are handled in an expeditious manner the election certainly can be resolved,'' she said.

All possible votes in Florida should be counted to ensure the legitimacy of the next president and that can still be done, Clinton said. ``I think those should be resolved and then there won't be any issues or any questions that people can raise after it's resolved,'' she said.

Fifth and sixth-grade schoolchildren from Murch Elementary School, all wearing Santa hats, serenaded the first lady with holiday songs like ``Jingle Bells'' and ``Winter Wonderland'' as the 20-year-old tree arrived by horse-drawn carriage. A man dressed as Santa Claus stood next to Clinton as the horses, decked out in red Christmas bows, pulled the carriage with the tree up to the front of the White House.

The Christmas tree, cut in Auburn, Pa., on Sunday and shipped to Washington, will be placed in the Blue Room of the White House and will be on display throughout the holiday season.

The tree comes from Evergreen Acres Tree Farm, which is owned by Paul and Sharon Shealer.

The Shealers, named the 2000 National Grand Champion Tree Growers by the National Christmas Tree Association, stood by as Clinton accepted the tree and later joined the first lady in the White House for tea and cookies.

Clinton said she will miss being part of the White House Christmas celebrations.

``Certainly coming to the White House and being part of the holiday celebrations here has been one of the great joys of having the opportunity to live in the White House,'' she said. ``I'm going to miss being part of that celebration. ... I hope to come back for the Congressional ball next year and see the White House again in all its finery.''

Clinton said she and President Clinton are doing everything they can to enjoy their last holiday season in the White House. ``We are wandering around the house seeing things we've looked at many times before with a new light, a new eye,'' she said. ``It's been an incredible time and we're doing everything we can to relish every single moment of it.''

On Thursday, Tipper Gore, wife of Vice President Al Gore, will take part in the tree-topping ceremony for the outdoor National Christmas Tree on the Ellipse. It will be her sixth time in that role. The permanent tree, a 40-foot Colorado blue spruce, will carry a 125,000 lights, which will be illuminated by President Clinton on Dec. 11.