Christmas is four months away, but plans are already in motion to decorate the nation’s Capitol.
Each year, a tree is selected from one of America’s national forests to be placed on the west lawn of the Capitol and decorated with thousands of handmade ornaments. This year, the chosen tree is an 80-foot tall grand Fir from the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest in Idaho.
The tree, selected from a pool of 60 candidates, is the first grand fir to be chosen since the tradition took root 62 years ago. Other types of firs, like the Douglas fir and balsam fir, have been common choices before.
“This grand fir stood out for its perfect form and full shape; and we can’t wait to welcome its arrival to the west lawn of the U.S. Capitol,” said Jim Kaufmann, executive director of Capitol Grounds and Arboretum at the Architect of the Capitol.
Idaho Gov. Brad Little said the tree is “a BIG Christmas gift to the nation.”
“A piece of the Gem State will be shining bright for the whole country this Christmas,” Little said.
A look at the tree’s journey to Washington
The precise location of the tree will remain confidential until it is harvested at the end of October.
Throughout its journey to the Capitol, it will be showcased at multiple “whistlestop” events where community members can come see the tree, sign a banner on the truck towing it, participate in games and “learn about Idaho’s responsible forestry practices that enable us to share our majestic trees with the world,” according to the Christmas tree’s official website.
The tree exemplifies this year’s U.S. Capitol Christmas tree theme, “over the rivers and through the woods,” because the Salmon River Ranger District, where the tree is located, “spans vast areas of diverse landscapes,” including grasslands, forests and mountain peaks, according to the U.S. Capitol Christmas tree Facebook.
“America’s national forests are one of our country’s greatest treasures, and this Christmas, a beautiful grand fir from Idaho’s Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests will stand proudly at the U.S. Capitol for the entire nation to enjoy,” said U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins in a release.
“This special tradition showcases the beauty of our forests, the incredible work of our U.S. Forest Service employees, and the communities that help bring The People’s Tree from the forest to our nation’s capital. I look forward to watching Idaho share a little piece of the Gem State with Americans across the country as this tree makes its journey to Washington.”
Preparations for the tree’s arrival begin months in advance
Even though the tree won’t reach the steps of the Capitol for months, preparations for its arrival have already begun.
The U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree organization and the U.S. Forest Service are busy collecting ornaments handmade by Idaho residents. Their goal is to collect 10,000 ornaments, 3,500 of which will be used to decorate the large tree with the remaining 6,500 hung on smaller trees.
The annual tree lighting ceremony is hosted by the speaker of the House, usually in the last week of November or first week of December.
Dates for 2026 ceremony will be announced in the fall.
Fun facts about the Capitol Christmas tree tradition
Fun Fact No. 1: The Capitol Christmas tree tradition began in 1964, when House Speaker John W. McCormack suggested to J. George Stewart, the eighth architect of the Capitol, that they place a Christmas tree on the grounds of the U.S. Capitol.
Fun Fact No. 2: The smallest tree ever selected was a 24-foot fir, and the tallest was an 88-foot spruce.
Fun Fact No. 3: Each year when the tree arrives at the West Front Lawn in November, it is accompanied by a police escort and received by the architect of the Capitol in a ceremony.