President Obama, the First Family and a gaggle of famous people helped light the National Christmas Tree for the first time this holiday season last night.

Hosted by Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson, the lighting ceremony included performances by musicians including Patti LaBelle, a reading of “A Visit from St. Nicholas” by First Lady Michelle Obama and some dancing by Santa Claus and the President.

“Back in 1923, school kids here in Washington wrote a letter to the White House asking if they could put a Christmas tree on the South Lawn. And more than 90 years and a few different evergreens later, the National Christmas Tree still stands as a symbol of hope and holiday spirit, and we still gather as a country each year to light it,” Obama said. “We still have school kids involved, too. But this year, they’ve given all the state and territory trees surrounding the National Christmas Tree their first digital upgrade. Young women from all 50 states used their computers — using their coding skills to control the colors and patterns of the lights on the trees. So thanks to those wonderful students. It is incredibly impressive. It’s actually one of the few things that Tom Hanks cannot do.”

The tree, located on The Ellipse near the White House, will be lit every night until January 1, 2015.