It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas on Capitol Hill.
House Speaker John Boehner lit the Capitol Christmas Tree Tuesday night, ushering in the season in Washington.
“Even though the weather doesn’t feel like its Dec. 4, nothing says Christmas like the playing of festive holiday carols,” said Stephen Ayers, the Architect of the Capitol.
The 73-foot Engelmann spruce tree will stand in the West Front lawn area of the U.S. Capitol complex until Dec. 26.
The trees roots trace more than 5,000 miles back in Colorado at the White River National Forest. The tree was delivered to Washington by truck, arriving on Nov. 26.
Now the tree lights up the Capitol Hill campus with close to 10,000 LED lights and more than 1,000 ornaments made by Coloradans.
Ronald Sarasin, the president of the U.S. Capitol Historical Society, added an ornament to the tree during the program. “It is our pleasure the U.S. Capitol Historical Society every year to produce a ornament that is placed on this tree,” hesaid.
After the U.S. Air force Band played Christmas songs for more 100 people, including Coloradoans, members of Congress and Washington locals, Boehner gave a speech just before lighting the tree. “God bless us, everyone,” Boehner said. “And from my family to yours, Merry Christmas.”