The Peoples Christmas Tree Makes a Stop In Yakima

An 88 foot Englemen spruce tree from the Colville National Forest will grace the lawn in front of the U.S. Capitol this holiday season. The tree is on its way to the nations capital and it made a two-hour stop in Yakima.  The  semi-truck carrying the tree was accompanied by a convoy of several employees of  the Colville National Forest.

The tree is a gift from the state of Washington to the rest of the country. More than
7,000  ornaments, which were mostly made by school kids in Washington State,
are also part of the gift to the nation.
The tradition of a Capitol Christmas Tree began in 1964 and has continued ever since.
The competition to provide “the People’s Tree” has become fierce over the years.
This year marks the second time a tree from Washington State has served as the
official Capitol Christmas Tree.
During the stopover in Yakima, representatives from the Colville National Forest answered questions about how the tree was selected from several potential Capitol
Christmas tree candidates, how it is being transported to across the country, and what it will look like once it is fully decorated on the grounds of the U.S. Capitol.

Community members were able to sign banners that will accompany the tree as it makes its way across the country before arriving in Washington, D.C. in time to be decorated for the holiday season.

To follow the route of the tree go to http://capitolchristmastree.com/