Christmas Tree From North Carolina To Sit At U.S. Capitol

There is no bigger sign that the holidays are fast-approaching than the selection of the Christmas tree for the U.S. Capitol. And when we say “bigger sign,” we mean it. This year’s tree is a whopping 78-foot tall Red Spruce from the Pisgah National Forest in North Carolina. 

Nicknamed "Ruby," this is the first tree from N.C. to stand at the U.S. Capitol since 1998, according to North Carolina news outlet WRAL. 

The tree was harvested on Wednesday, November  2, and streamed live on the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree Facebook page with a short ceremony that included a musical performance by Woody Platt and Shannon Whitworth, and a telling of the Cherokee Legend of the Evergreen Trees told by this year’s Youth Tree Lighter, Coche Tiger, a citizen of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, according to a social media post shared by the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree tracker. 

The spruce is now making the journey to the U.S. Capitol where it will serve as the 2022 People’s Tree. Ruby isn’t the only tree making the trip. As the tree is trucked North, the convoy is making stops along the way to pick up even more Christmas trees, according to an Instagram post, from our new favorite account. The tree-trucking team picked up 84 trees grown by farms in Avery County, including 24 Fraser firs that will be on display in the U.S. Capitol. The remaining trees will be donated to Joint Base Andrews for military families to enjoy. 

It’s no surprise that the folks in the U.S. Capitol found a worthy tree in North Carolina. The state is home to around 1,300 growers who raise trees across more than 40,000 acres, earning a swath of the state the title of America's Christmas Tree Capitol. 

The tree is scheduled to be delivered to the grounds of the Capitol on November 18.