National Forests in North Carolina reach and exceed goal of 6,000 ornaments for the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree  

Asheville, NC September 21, 2022 – We did it! With help from North Carolinians across the state, our valued partners, and our committed employees, the National Forests in North Carolina reached and exceeded our goal of 6,000 ornaments for the 2022 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree. Over the course of 6 months, we received over 7,500 ornaments that will adorn “The People’s Tree” on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol and other trees across Washington D.C., showcased through the 2022 holiday season.

These ornaments represent over 125 local communities, Forest Service employees, families and friends, and neighbors from thirteen other states. In this sense, the 2022 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree truly embodies “The People’s Tree”.

Ornaments were decorated and donated by schools, communities, and civic organizations across North Carolina, as well as partner agencies and organizations and hundreds of members of the public. Dozens of outreach and education events featured forestry lessons and ornament making activities. Local artists donated ornaments or provided materials and expertise to make ornaments.

“I am amazed that we reached our goal early, but I guess I really shouldn’t be surprised that North Carolinians, and our friends and neighbors, rallied for the cause,” said Sheryl Bryan, U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree ornaments coordinator. “I am immensely proud of the people of North Carolina and of the ornaments on this year’s trees. Each one of them has been touched with love and pride of the ‘Old North State’.”

Now that we have reached our ornament goal, it’s time to take the show on the road. As the 78′ Red Spruce makes the journey from the Pisgah National Forest to Washington D.C. it will make several stops along the way to celebrate with North Carolina communities “from the mountains to the sea”, before arriving at the West Lawn of the Capitol. The tour will kick-off with a Harvest Celebration at the Western North Carolina Agricultural Center on November 5 from 3pm-5pm. For a full list of tour stops visit click here. 

If you didn’t have the opportunity to make an ornament for the Capitol Tree, you can still make an ornament for your tree. Two ornament templates are available on the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree website to download and easily make at home. View the ornament templates here. 

Follow along online at www.uscapitolchristmastree.com and @uscapitolchristmastree on Facebook and Instagram.