US Capitol Christmas tree arrives on the Hill
WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) – It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas on Capitol Hill. The 2023 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree arrived in Washington, D.C. Friday morning.
The 63-foot Norway spruce comes from the Monongahela National Forest in West Virginia. Officials from the National Forest and the Capitol hosted a special ceremony to mark the occasion in front of the west lawn of the Capitol.
“Lighting the Capitol Christmas tree has been a holiday tradition since 1964 and it’s the one that we are proud to be part of,” said Jim Kaufman, Director of Capitol Grounds and Arboretum.
It took about two hours for a team to move the 38-year-old tree from a tractor-trailer onto the Capitol grounds.
Over the next few days, the tree will be decorated with thousands of ornaments handcrafted by West Virginians and the Shawnee Tribe.
The Shawnee Tribe named this year’s tree “wa’feem’tekwi,” which means “bright tree” in the Shawnee language.
A tree lighting ceremony will take place on Tuesday, Nov. 28. The tree will remain in front of the Capitol until Jan. 1, 2024.
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