A Capitol Christmas Tree has been a tradition since 1964. The first tree was a live 24-foot Douglas fir planted on the west lawn of the U.S. Capitol. The original Capitol Christmas Tree died after the 1968 tree lighting ceremony due to a severe wind storm and root damage. The tree was removed and the United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service has provided the trees since 1969.
The Capitol Christmas Tree should not to be confused with the National Christmas Tree, which is planted near the White House.
The 2007 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree — a 55-foot balsam fir — is coming from Vermont’s Green Mountain National Forest. Once it is secured in the ground, the tree will be decorated with more than 4,500 ornaments crafted by people from across Vermont that reflects this year’s theme, “Bringing an Old Fashioned Holiday to the Nation.” The ornaments will depict the state’s heritage, historical events or people, and natural resources.
Capitol Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony
The tree will be lit by Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi while Acting Architect of the Capitol Stephen T. Ayers, AIA, serves as master of ceremonies.Date: December 5, 2007, 5:00 p.m.
Location: West Lawn of the U. S. Capitol.Constitution and Independence Avenues, Washington, DC.
Parking near the U. S. Capitol Building is restricted. The best way to get to the area is by metro. The closest stops are located at Union Station, Federal Center S.W. or Capitol South.
Following the lighting ceremony, the Capitol Christmas Tree will be lit from dusk until 11 p.m. each evening through January 1, 2008. As part of the Architect of the Capitol’s continuing commitment to save energy, strands of LED (Light Emitting Diodes) lights will be used to decorate the entire tree. LED lights use little electricity, have an extremely long life-span, and are environmentally friendly.
