Capitol Christmas Tree
The Capitol Christmas Tree decorates the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol during the month of December
The Capitol Christmas Tree is the holiday tree for the Legislative Branch of government. It lights up the U.S. Capitol grounds with holiday cheer each December. The tradition of placing a Christmas tree on the U.S. Capitol grounds began in 1964, but records show a tree was also purchased in 1919. For the first few years, the tree was a living tree planted near the Capitol, but weather and damage to the tree led to the decision to use cut trees since 1970. The tree is provided each year by the U.S. Forest Service and the Superintendent of the Capitol Grounds of the Architect of the Capitol manages the selection, installation, and decoration of the tree.
Preparation for the Capitol Christmas Tree happens almost all year. The state and national forest where the next tree will come from is announced in January. The lucky tree is selected in June or July. Ornaments are handmade by residents of the state where the selected tree is from. It is cut and transported to DC beginning in early November and set in place at the end of the month. Finally, the tree is decorated and lit the first week of December. You can follow the tree’s progress throughout the year on the Capitol Christmas Tree Facebook page.
The Capitol Christmas Tree is often confused with the National Christmas Tree, which is in the Ellipse by the White House. Other than their affiliation with different branches of government, the main difference between the two is the National Christmas Tree is a live tree that is planted in the Ellipse while the Capitol Christmas Tree is cut each year and transported to the grounds of the U.S. Capitol. Since the Capitol Christmas Tree isn’t live, there is less concern about the decorations damaging the tree – strings of lights and thousands of ornaments are hung directly on the branches.
The ideal Capitol Christmas Tree is 65 to 85 feet tall with a symmetrical, conical shape. The tallest tree was 89 feet tall in 1989, and the shortest was 30 feet tall in 1968. Capitol Christmas Trees have come from 23 different states, with the most coming from Michigan (five trees). You can find more tree facts on the Architect of the Capitol website.
The 2019 tree is coming from Carson National Forest in New Mexico – the third tree from New Mexico. The Capitol Christmas Tree lighting ceremony is usually brief and doesn’t require tickets.
The homemade ornaments and multicolored lights on the Capitol Christmas Tree remind me of my own childhood Christmas trees, and I love how close you can get to this tree. It’s rarely crowded around the tree, and is a great adventure to pair with an evening visit to the nearby Season’s Greenings at the U.S. Botanic Garden.
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Address
West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol
Metro Station
- Capitol South (OR, BL, SV)
- Union Station (RD)
- Federal Center SW (OR, BL, SV)
Directions
The West Lawn of the Capitol is the grassy area between the Capitol Reflecting Pool and the U.S. Capitol building. It is the same side as the Washington Monument (but a mile and a half away).
Cost
Free
Hours
The Capitol Christmas Tree lighting ceremony is typically the first week of December. The lights are typically turned on each evening from 5:00 pm – 11:00 pm and in the morning from 7:00 am – 8:00 am.
The 2019 Capitol Christmas Tree lighting ceremony will be held on December 4 from 5:00 pm – 5:30 pm.
Length of Adventure
30 minutes
Website
https://www.uscapitolchristmastree.com/
