After a few hours of fierce debate, we end up with the native juniper tree that graces our living room for the holidays.
But, selecting the National Christmas Tree for our country is a year-long process. It is sourced from one of 154 U.S. National Forests, which makes up nearly 200 million acres throughout the country.
Like the tree we choose for our home, the winner is based on height, shape and fullness. Each candidate tree must be between 60 and 80 feet tall. Officials ensure that the tree isn’t critical for endangered species or water sources.
And, the tree must be accessible to the 100-foot long flatbed truck that moves it across the country, escorted by law enforcement.
This year, this arboreal honor went to a 63-foot Norway spruce from the Monongahela National Forest of West Virginia. Locals gathered to watch two sawyers cut the trunk with a vintage Forest Service cross-cut saw — in homage to the historic timber industry there.
When it arrived, crews hoisted it vertically, decorated it with splendor, and prepared it for the lighting ceremony, just as we do with our living room juniper.
