ATLANTA, GA— Governor Sonny Perdue and First Lady Mary Perdue will light the Mansion Christmas tree and kick off the holiday tour season, Sunday, December 5, 2004 at 6:00 p.m. The entertainment will include the Army Ground Forces Band, Joy Fowler, the Houston County High School Jazz Ensemble, the Buford High School Chamber Chorus, Georgia College and State University Brass Choir, and the Voices of Vaughan. The 20-foot Spruce tree was grown and donated by Maxwell and Alice Ward of Athens, Georgia. Following the tree lighting ceremony, members of the public will be invited to tour the Governor’s Mansion, which will be decorated for the holidays.

The Governor and First Lady have designated the Mansion as an official drop off site for The United States Marines’ Toys for Tots program. Unwrapped toys will be accepted throughout the holiday season for children across the state to help make Christmas a special one.

The Mansion will continue to be open to the public for holiday tours from December 6-18, 2004 (Monday-Friday, 10:00 a.m.—1:00 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 1:00 p.m.—4:00 p.m.). To attend these tours, individuals must call the Governor’s Mansion at 404-261-1776 for reservations (reservations are not required for the tree lighting ceremony). After December 18, 2004, the Mansion will close for the remainder of the holidays and reopen for public tours on January 25, 2005.