Boehner lights the Capitol Christmas Tree

{mosads}Reps. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), Cory Gardner (R-Colo.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Phil Roe (R-Tenn.), Ron Barber (D-Ariz.), Diana DeGette (D-Colo.) and Erik Paulsen (R-Minn.) also tweeted from the event.

Boehner, with help from a Colorado high-school student, lit the tree. It will continue to be lit nightly until 11 p.m. through Dec. 26.

Boehner made Ryan Shuster, a senior who won a state-wide contest to be part of the ceremony, button his suit jacket before he flipped the switch, warning, “Ryan, pictures last forever.”

Former Sen. Ben “Nighthorse” Campbell drove the Christmas Tree from the small town of Meeker, Colo., to Washington, D.C., on a on a 105-foot semi truck, and arrived last week after a 23-day trip.

The tree is known as “the people’s tree,” in part to differentiate between it and the National Christmas Tree that sits in front of the White House. The tree stops in various towns and cities on its cross-country trip in order to greet “the people” personally.

Blessed to join in the lighting of the @uscapitol Christmas Tree j.mp/WHGJyL Thanks to all involved in @capitoltree2012

— Speaker John Boehner (@SpeakerBoehner) December 4, 2012

Capitol Christmas Tree 2012 now lit nightly till 11 pm through Dec 26. #capitolchristmas twitter.com/uscapitol/stat…

— U.S. Capitol (@uscapitol) December 4, 2012

What a beautiful and unusually warm night in Washington for this year’s Capitol Tree Lighting! twitter.com/RepRonBarber/s…

— RepRonBarber (@RepRonBarber) December 4, 2012