Home   >   News   >   U.S.   >   Official Christmas tree arrives at White House

Official Christmas tree arrives at White House

November 28, 2014
First lady Michelle Obama, second from right, joined by her daughters Sasha Obama, left, and Malia Obama, waves to the press after welcoming the Official White House Christmas Tree to the White House in Washington, Friday, Nov. 28, 2014. This year’s White House Christmas Tree, which will be on display in the Blue Room, is a White Fir grown by Chris Botek, a second generation Christmas tree farmer from Crystal Spring Tree Farm in Lehighton, Penn. Dogs Bo and Sunny also participated. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

First lady Michelle Obama, second from right, joined by her daughters Sasha Obama, left, and Malia Obama, waves to the press after welcoming the Official White House Christmas Tree to the White House in Washington, Friday, Nov. 28, 2014. This year’s White House Christmas Tree, which will be on display in the Blue Room, is a White Fir grown by Chris Botek, a second generation Christmas tree farmer from Crystal Spring Tree Farm in Lehighton, Penn. Dogs Bo and Sunny also participated. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

WASHINGTON (AP) — It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas at the White House now that the official tree has arrived.

A horse-drawn wagon hauled the 20-foot white fir up the driveway to the North Portico for inspection on Friday morning. Receiving the tree were first lady Michelle Obama, daughters Malia and Sasha and family dogs Bo and Sunny.

The family circled the tree, smelled it and conferred before the first lady said, “Thumbs-up. It’s a go. We’re taking the tree.”

Malia, holding Bo’s leash, said of the tree: “It’s great. It’s big.”

It’s tradition for the first lady to preside over the tree delivery on the morning after Thanksgiving. The odds are slim to none that it would ever be rejected.

The tree is chosen weeks in advance at the farm that wins the National Christmas Tree Association contest. The winner has presented the official White House tree since 1966.

In late September, a group of White House staffers including the chief usher, groundskeeper and chief horticulturist traveled to the Crystal Spring Tree Farm in Lehighton, Pennsylvania, to search for a tree they agreed is perfect enough to stand in the Blue Room, albeit tethered to its ceiling, as the main attraction throughout the White House holiday season. The Blue Room tree cannot be taller than 18 ½ feet, so this tree will be trimmed to fit.

The farm, run by Christ Botek, a second-generation Christmas tree farmer, also provided the official White House tree in 2010 and 2006.

The delivery marked the start of an intense few days of round-the-clock tree trimming, wreath laying and other decorating by an army of volunteer decorators who help turn the White House into a winter wonderland. Many of the decorations honor military families, a group that Mrs. Obama is trying to support through a nationwide initiative.

She has invited military families to the White House for a first look at the decorations on Wednesday.