Ted Bechtol had to be picky.
As the superintendent of Capitol Grounds, Bechtol chose this year’s Capitol Christmas tree from 2.3 million acres of conifers at Payette National Forest in Idaho. The one chosen would be seen by countless Washington residents and visitors.
The U.S. Forest Service identified about a dozen trees for him to review, and he had specific criteria in mind: height, health, a full canopy, a conical shape, a straight trunk and uniform density. Sometimes it even requires a second visit to one of the candidates, he said.
{mosads}“It can be hard to find a tree in the forest that meets all of these criteria outlined above,” Bechtol wrote on the Architect of the Capitol website. “Exposure to nature’s elements often creates a tree that looks good from one side, but not the other.”
After a couple of days of reviewing contenders, he found his “gem”: an 80-foot Engelmann spruce from an area near Little Ski Hill.
So this tree traveled 2,500 miles, along with boxes of Idaho ornaments, for the coveted spot as the Capitol Christmas tree. The last time “The People’s Tree” was from Idaho was in 2003.
“I really enjoy getting out into the America’s forests and searching for a tree that will be perfect for the West Front Lawn,” Bechtol told The Hill in an email. “Additionally it is always a pleasure to work with the professionals from the U.S. Forest Service who each year deliver a beautiful tree from a different National Forest unit managed by a new group of employees supported by volunteer organizations.”
The Capitol tree was lit Tuesday evening by House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wisc.) and Isabella Gerard, a fifth-grader from Boise.
“Christ’s birth, like this tree, is a reminder that God is always with us. We may neglect him. We may reject him. But he never forsakes us. He welcomes us back into his warm embrace,” the Speaker said under rainy D.C. skies.
He added, “He lights our way. He makes straight our path. He fills every valley and brings every mountain low. We have only to accept the love he offers us. And tonight, we accept it with joy.”
And as the Capitol Christmas Tree glows on the West Front Lawn, the National Christmas Tree will be glimmering in front of the White House — a tradition that dates back to former President Calvin Coolidge in 1923.
When Coolidge lit a 48-foot Balsam fir from Vermont on Christmas Eve, simple red, white and green bulbs began glistening, but the modern lighting ceremony is far more glamorous.
In fact, 2016’s 30-foot Colorado blue spruce from Virginia got some celebrity attention, with performances from Chance the Rapper, James Taylor, Garth Brooks and Kelly Clarkson. The 94th annual National Christmas Tree lighting last Thursday was also the final one for President Obama’s administration.
“Happy holidays to all of you. It is now officially time to light this tree,” Obama said.
Although these two trees are very public in their display, there’s still another D.C. tree that grabs yuletide attention: the official White House Christmas tree.
The 19-foot-tall and 12-foot-wide contest winner currently stands in the Blue Room, home to the official presidential tannenbaum since the Kennedy administration. Before this year’s tree, a rare blend of Fraser and Veitch fir, left the Badger State, USA Today reported that dozens of local residents posed for pictures in front of it to join in the festivities.
There were 17 contestants for this year’s White House tree, and the owners of the Whispering Pines Tree Farm say they were honored to be chosen.
“In order to present a tree [to the White House], you have to win the national championship. It’s like winning the Super Bowl or a gold medal at the Olympics. It doesn’t get better than that,” Dave Vander Velden told the National Christmas Tree Association.
Participating farms brought a tree to the national competition, and the farm with the best tree, as determined by at least six judges, received a visit from White House staff to handpick the winning tree.
“It’s a thrill, and it’s even more of a thrill for the folks that have participated in having their tree selected,” a spokesman for the National Christmas Tree Association said. “It’s quite an honor for the association to be able to provide the trees to the White House. It’s probably one of the highlights, if not the highlight of our calendar year, to be able to go to Washington, D.C. and represent the association.”