Washington ? With the war in Iraq steadily claiming American lives and the world in mourning over the epic tsunami disaster, planners of the 55th presidential inauguration face an awkward challenge: how to throw the traditional four-day celebration without appearing to have too much fun.

A few critics — including a Republican Texas billionaire — have called for cancellation of everything but the swearing-in because they find it unseemly to spend $40 million on shrimp, spirits, floats and frivolity while American soldiers must scrape together money for phone cards to call home.

But supporters of President Bush are presenting the quadrennial pageant as an opportunity to salute American troops: “Celebrating Freedom, Honoring Service” is the theme. And the result will be a spectacle that pays greater homage to the armed forces than any inaugural in recent memory.

Officials say they will do that without spoiling the revelry that is Washington’s version of the Oscars.

For Bush, whose approval ratings are below 50 percent as he prepares to lead a still-divided nation through four more years, the key is to make sure his inaugural message resounds above the merriment.

“You don’t want to be seen as fiddling like Nero while Rome or Mosul or Baghdad is burning. But there is something powerful about having an inauguration that is smooth,” said Gil Troy, professor of history at McGill University in Montreal and author of “Morning in America, How Ronald Reagan Invented the 1980s.”

Construction continues on the presidential inaugural stand in front of the White House. President Bush, his family and guests will watch the inaugural parade from the stand after he is sworn in next Thursday.

“The Democrats may be grumbling, and there is all this blue state and red state stuff, but at the end of the day the thought of treason is not even on the American mind. That should not be overlooked,” he said, underscoring the most significant point of Inauguration Day: the unchallenged acceptance of the election’s outcome.

But beyond the solemnity of the Capitol ceremonies, partying is still very much on.

Beginning Tuesday, Republicans will put on 10 balls, three candlelight dinners, a presidential gala on the eve of the big day, a fancy brunch for dignitaries, a 1.7-mile-long parade and a youth rock concert hosted by the Bush twins.