US Capitol Christmas Tree arrives in DC marking beginning of 2024 holiday season
WASHINGTON - The 2024 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree has arrived in Washington, D.C. marking the traditional beginning of the holiday season in the nation’s capital.
The 80-foot Sitka spruce is from the Tongass National Forest in Alaska, according to the Architect of the Capitol. The Tongass, covering nearly 17 million acres, is the largest national forest in the United States. It also boasts the largest contiguous temperate rainforest in the world.
The tree, affectionately named Spruce Wayne after a social media vote, made its arrival Friday morning.
It was harvested on October 19, and traveled 700 miles by sea and nearly 4,000 miles by land from Wrangell, Alaska, making stops in communities along the way.
The tree will be decorated with 5,000 handcrafted ornaments from communities across Alaska and 5,000 led lights.
The lighting will take place during a ceremony on the West Front Lawn beginning at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, December 3.
The tree will then be lit from dusk until 11 p.m. each evening through January 1, 2025.
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