Towering over the Ellipse, framing The White House and President's Park with festive cheer, is the National Christmas Tree. Always a symbol of the holiday spirit, this year’s tree, a red spruce from the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests, also embodies rebirth and recovery, both for an iconic species of tree and for the hurricane-ravaged region whence it came.
Not to be confused with its neighbor, the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree, the National Christmas Tree stands on the Ellipse at The White House and President’s Park. For many years, it was a living tree, but in 2023, after the most recent one developed a disease, the National Park Service (NPS), which manages The White House and President’s Park, reached out to partner with the USDA Forest Service to supply a fresh-cut Christmas tree. The Monongahela National Forest in West Virginia rose to the occasion, supplying a beautiful 40-foot, Norway spruce.
This collaboration continued in 2024. The call came to the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests in Virginia. Ed Wright, area ranger for the Mount Rogers National Recreation Area, selected a magnificent 35-foot red spruce alongside visiting NPS staff.
“What better way to show unity and joy during the holiday season than supplying this beautiful red spruce to The White House and President’s Park,” said Forest Supervisor Job Timm. “It marks a significant moment for the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests.”
For Wright and his colleagues, the fact the tree came from Mount Rogers is particularly meaningful, considering the damage left by Hurricane Helene, which swept through the area in late September. Like other areas devastated by the storm, the Mount Rogers region saw flooding, damaged homes and changed lives.
“The Mount Rogers National Recreation Area was recently impacted by Hurricane Helene, but like the Forest Service , the National Christmas Tree stands tall,” Timm observed.
The National Christmas Tree coming from this area helps show the resilient spirit of the people affected by Hurricane Helene and their path to rebuild and recover. As staff with the Forest Service work to repair and reopen areas still affected by Helene, the National Christmas Tree is a symbol of the importance of their hard work.
The tree itself also symbolizes resilience and recovery. Red spruce are tall, enduring trees that can clear 130 feet and grow for hundreds of years. Along with Fraser firs, they form the backbone of a unique ecosystem type, called the Southern Appalachian Spruce-Fir Forest.
Red spruce grows only in the highest elevations of the Appalachians and has lost significant amounts of its former territory to logging, mining and other development. However, the Forest Service has been working hard to help this iconic species recover.
From growing seedlings to restoring habitat, the Forest Service is working with partners like the National Forest Foundation, the Southern Highlands Reserve, the Nature Conservancy and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Foundation to reinvigorated red spruce populations throughout the Appalachians.
Selecting the National Christmas Tree, a red spruce from the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests, presents an ideal opportunity for the public to come to know these special trees. In fact, there’s now a tradition of red spruce trees serving the country in the national holiday spotlight. Just two years ago, a red spruce named Ruby from the Pisgah National Forest in western North Carolina was chosen as the 2022 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree.
In the spirit of the holidays, the Forest Service is delighted to supply the two most symbolic Christmas trees in Washington, D.C.: the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree, also known as the People’s Tree and the National Christmas Tree, both serving to enhance the holiday atmosphere.
“Our friends and colleagues at the Forest Service provided a magnificent tree. We are grateful for the gift,” The White House and President’s Park Superintendent John Stanwich said. “I hope everyone will bring family and friends to see this gorgeous National Christmas Tree in all its splendor! It will be glowing on the Ellipse through January 1, 2025.”
The National Christmas Tree lights turn on around sunset each evening and turn off at 10 p.m. Sunday-Thursday and 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday through Jan. 1, 2025. The U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree will be lit from dusk until 11 p.m. each evening through January 1, 2025.
