US Capitol Christmas Tree arrives in DC, signaling beginning of 2025 holiday season

WASHINGTON - The 2025 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree has arrived in Washington, D.C., marking the traditional start of the holiday season in the nation’s capital.

What we know:

Each year, the U.S. Forest Service provides a tree from one of the country’s 154 national forests to display on the West Lawn of the Capitol. This year’s tree is the first ever from Nevada’s Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest.

Dig deeper:

The 53-foot red fir, nicknamed Silver Belle, began its nearly 3,000-mile journey from Nevada on November 1 aboard a specially designed tractor-trailer.

Along the way, the tree made stops at parades, festivals and community gatherings across Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri and Kentucky.

The U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree will be lit during a ceremony on the West Front Lawn. An exact date for the event has not yet been announced. Afterward, the tree will be lit nightly from dusk until 11 p.m. through early January 2026.

2025 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree Fast Facts

• The U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree was first placed in 1964.
• The U.S. Forest Service has provided trees since 1970.
• The 2025 tree is from the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest in Nevada.
• The Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest is home to dozens of federally-recognized tribes with ancestral ties to this region.
• The Red Fir stands 53 feet tall and has a trunk that’s 20 inches wide.
• The star, made by the AOC Upholstery Shop, measures 4½" x 5½".
• The tree is decorated with approximately 6,000 LED lights and 5,000+ ornaments.
• The tree represents the people from the forest region and has become known as the People’s Tree.
• More information: www.aoc.gov/christmas