After a few brainstorming sessions at the bar in Dupont Circle鈥檚 Floriana Restaurant, bar manager Dito Sevilla knew what the theme of the D.C. restaurant鈥檚 annual Christmas tree had to be.
Ideas like D.C. parking tickets were briefly considered, Sevilla said Thursday, while constructing the tree, but the conversation kept coming back to teachers, and the challenges they faced during the pandemic. Sevilla imagined the joy the tree would likely bring to nearby students at Ross Elementary.
With last year鈥檚 鈥淜amala Tree鈥� entering the spotlight after the then-vice president elect stopped by to take a picture with it, Sevilla and Floriana owner Jamie Branda decided it would be appropriate to honor one of the country鈥檚 most well-known educators: Dr. Jill Biden.
鈥淭his year鈥檚 tree honors America鈥檚 teachers and the legacy they leave behind each student,鈥� Sevilla said. 鈥淎nd it will be topped by America鈥檚 No. 1 teacher Dr. Jill Biden.鈥�
Sevilla started assembling the tree Monday and anticipates it will be complete early next week. The 17-foot tree is among the largest the restaurant has displayed on the corner of 17th Street Northwest.
Still in the process of being constructed, the tree features what Sevilla described as symbols that remind him of his favorite parts of school: an apple on a teacher鈥檚 desk and supplies, such as rulers and protractors.
When it鈥檚 finished, the tree will feature 12,000 LED lights, and if Sevilla and Branda are granted permission, it will also include small chalkboards with local teachers鈥� names.
The tree will be topped off with a cutout of Jill Biden, in addition to several photos. Sevilla said he鈥檚 hoping the first lady will stop by.
鈥淭eachers have been through an incredibly difficult last couple of years,鈥� Branda said. 鈥淎nd hopefully, this can keep it in people’s minds, that teachers鈥� lives are not getting any easier just because things are getting slightly more back to normal.鈥�
The tree also features elements that have been included in previous years鈥� trees, including cutouts of President Joe Biden, mini mailboxes that were used to represent mail-in votes and suffragette ribbons that honor the 2016 Hillary Clinton-themed tree.
The tree, which Sevilla said will remain on the corner until mid-January, has become a neighborhood staple, with some visitors stopping by for Christmas card or engagement photos.
But this year, the pair wants the attention to be on the country鈥檚 educators.
鈥淓verybody has a teacher that they think of that is someone that was really important to them that helped shape them, and their life wouldn’t be the same if they hadn鈥檛 met that person,鈥� Branda said.
鈥淭here was no way we weren鈥檛 going to do the first lady,鈥� Sevilla said. 鈥淭hey came in with such a positive and buoyant attitude. They really made everyone鈥檚 spirits in the city really happy.鈥�
