List of sources of the National Christmas Tree (United States)

Sources of the National Christmas Tree in the United States have varied over time. The first National Christmas Tree was erected and lit by President Calvin Coolidge in 1923.Schiavo, Laura. "1923 National Christmas Tree." President's Park (The White House). National Capital Region. National Park Service. U.S. Department of the Interior. No date. Accessed 2011-10-20. As of 2011, the tradition has continued uninterrupted. The trees have come from a wide variety of sources, were placed or planted in different places on the grounds of the President's Park or the White House, have varied in height, and have sometimes been a cut tree and sometimes a living planted tree.

Cut evergreen trees were used in 1923 and from 1954 to 1972. Living trees were used from 1924 to 1953, and again from 1973 to the present (2011). In the list below, the height of the cut tree is the height of the tree when raised at the White House. The height of the living tree is the height when it was first planted. Several states and territories of the United States have provided these trees.

The trees have been placed in a wide variety of locations. These include The Ellipse (the portion of President's Park just south of the White House, across E Street NW), Sherman Plaza (the patio, garden, and public square just south of the Treasury Building and its adjacent Alexander Hamilton Place), Lafayette Park (the square north of the White House, across Pennsylvania Avenue NW), and the South Lawn of the White House.

Types, sources, heights, and locations of the National Christmas Trees Year Cut or living Type of tree Source Height Location References1923CutBalsam firVermontMiddle of the EllipseMenendez, p. 40.Crump, p. 402.Reports of the tree's height varied considerably. The National Park Service history of the National Christmas Tree notes that media outlets reported the tree's height at , , and . The agency says that photographs of the tree appear to make the height closer to 48 feet. See: Schiavo, Laura. "1923 National Christmas Tree." President's Park (The White House). National Capital Region. National Park Service. U.S. Department of the Interior. No date. Accessed 2011-10-20.Park Cultural Landscapes Program, p. 35.1924–1928LivingNorway spruceNew YorkWest side of Sherman PlazaMenendez, p. 41.A contemporary source put the tree's height at . See: "Coolidge Will Light Big Christmas Tree." New York Times. December 7, 1924.1929–1930LivingNorway spruceNew YorkWest side of Sherman Plaza"The National Christmas Tree." American Lumberman. May 4, 1929.1931–1933LivingBlue spruceWashington, D.C.West side of Sherman PlazaSchiavo, Laura. "1924-1933 National Christmas Trees." President's Park (The White House). National Capital Region. National Park Service. U.S. Department of the Interior. No date. Accessed 2011-10-20.1934-1938LivingFraser fir(two trees)North CarolinaMiddle of Lafayette SquareSchiavo, Laura. "1934-1938 National Christmas Trees." President's Park (The White House). National Capital Region. National Park Service. U.S. Department of the Interior. No date. Accessed 2011-10-20.Park Cultural Landscapes Program, p. 37.1939Living(transplanted after use)Red cedarVirginiaNorth side of the Ellipse"Roosevelt to Light National Christmas Tree Here Sunday." Washington Post. December 21, 1939.Park Cultural Landscapes Program, p. 38.1940Living(transplanted after use)Red cedar VirginiaNorth side of the EllipseBookman, George B. "President Bares His Head to Listen To Carols With 8,000 on Ellipse." Washington Post. December 25, 1940.1941–1953LivingOriental spruce(two trees)Washington, D.C.South side of the White House South LawnSeeley, p. 42.Schiavo, Laura. "1941-1953 National Christmas Trees." President's Park (The White House). National Capital Region. National Park Service. U.S. Department of the Interior. No date. Accessed 2011-10-24.1954CutBalsam firMichiganNorth side of the EllipseFolliard, Edward T. "Eisenhower Sets Peace Tree Aglow." Washington Post. December 18, 1954; "Giant Fir for Peace Pageant." Associated Press. November 23, 1954.Park Cultural Landscapes Program, p. 39.1955CutWhite spruceSouth DakotaNorth side of the Ellipse"Ike to Light Tree Here December 18." Washington Post. November 20, 1955.1956CutEngelmann spruceNew MexicoNorth side of the EllipseKelly, David J. "67-Foot Christmas Tree, Biggest for D.C., Placed." Washington Post. December 4, 1956.1957CutWhite spruceMinnesotaNorth side of the Ellipse"President Urges Toil to Win Peace." Associated Press. December 24, 1957; "Christmas Tree Picked for Fete." Washington Post. November 21, 1957.1958CutEngelmann spruceMontanaNorth side of the Ellipse"Hailey, Albon B. "Pageant Opens, Marking Yule Season's Start." Washington Post. December 23, 1958.1959CutWhite spruceMaineNorth side of the Ellipse"D.C. Yule Tree Grows in Maine." Washington Post. November 11, 1959.1960CutDouglas firOregonNorth side of the Ellipse"Ellipse Gets Its Annual Visitor." Washington Post. December 9, 1960.1961CutDouglas firWashingtonNorth side of the Ellipse"From the First Tree Farm to the President’s Front Lawn: Remembering the 1961 National Christmas Tree". Forest History Society. Retrieved on December 27, 2021."Ellipse-Bound." Washington Post. November 23, 1961.1962CutBlue spruceColoradoNorth side of the EllipseGilliam, Dorothy. "President Sounds Hope for Peace In Lighting Up Nation's Yule Tree." Washington Post. December 18, 1962.1963CutRed spruceWest VirginiaNorth side of the EllipseClopton, Willard. "71-Foot West Virginia Yule Tree Erected on Ellipse." Washington Post. December 6, 1963.1964CutWhite spruceNew YorkNorth side of the EllipseGeremia, Ramon. "LBJ Sets Tree Aglow, Sees 'Star of Peace'." Washington Post. December 19, 1964.1965CutBlue spruceArizonaNorth side of the Ellipse"Raising of the Tree." Washington Post. December 3, 1965.1966CutRed firCaliforniaNorth side of the Ellipse"Johnson, at Tree Lighting, Is Hopeful on Vietnam." New York Times. December 16, 1966.1967CutBalsam firVermontNorth side of the Ellipse"Johnson Lights Christmas Tree." Associated Press. December 19, 1967.1968CutEngelmann spruceUtahNorth side of the Ellipse"Johnson Lights Nation's Christmas Tree and Voices Prayer for Peace." United Press International. December 17, 1968.1969CutNorway spruceNew YorkNorth side of the Ellipse"Christmas Tree Taking 1st Step to White House." New York Times. November 22, 1969.1970CutWhite spruceSouth DakotaNorth side of the EllipseFederer, p. 186; "Daredevil Decorators 78 Feet Up." Washington Post. December 11, 1970.1971CutDouglas firNorth CarolinaNorth side of the EllipseBarker, Karlyn. "U.S. Has 4 National Christmas Trees." Washington Post. December 2, 1971.1972CutEngelmann spruceWyomingNorth side of the Ellipse"National Christmas Tree to Come From Wyoming." United Press International. October 25, 1972; Weil, Martin. "Tree Lit On Ellipse In the Rain." Washington Post. December 16, 1972.1973–1976LivingBlue spruceColoradoNorth side of the EllipsePark Cultural Landscapes Program, p. 42.1977LivingBlue spruceMarylandNorth side of the EllipsePark Cultural Landscapes Program, p. 43.1978–2010LivingBlue spruceNew YorkNorth side of the Ellipse"Strong Winds Topple National Christmas." Associated Press. February 19, 2011.2011–2012LivingBlue spruceNew JerseyNorth side of the EllipseOffice of Communications. "National Park Service to Plant New National Christmas Tree." Press release. National Capital Region. National Park Service. U.S. Department of the Interior. March 18, 2011.Clary, Glen. "National Park Service to Replace National Christmas Tree." CNN.com. May 5, 2012. Accessed 2012-05-06.2012–2018LivingBlue spruceVirginiaNorth side of the EllipseForzato, Jamie. "National Christmas Tree Planted Days Before Massive Storm." WTOP.com. October 28, 2012. Accessed 2012-11-01.2019–2020LivingBlue sprucePennsylvaniaNorth side of the Ellipse; 2021–2022LivingWhite firPennsylvaniaNorth side of the EllipsePusatory, Matt. "New National Christmas Tree planted at President's Park" WUSA9.com. October 30, 2021. Accessed 2023-11-17.2023CutNorway spruceWest VirginiaNorth side of the EllipseGabriel, Angeli. "Disease hits White House Christmas tree; new one in place ahead of annual lighting" Foxweather.com. November 15, 2023. Accessed 2023-11-17.2024CutRed spruceVirginiaNorth side of the EllipseRamirez, Stephanie. "2024 National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony: What you need to know" Fox5dc.com. December 5, 2024. Accessed 2024-12-05.2025CutRed spruceVirginiaNorth side of the Ellipse

References

Bibliography

Crump, William D. The Christmas Encyclopedia. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland & Co., 2006. Federer, William J. There Really Is A Santa Claus: The History of Saint Nicholas & Christmas Holiday Traditions. St. Louis, Mo.: Ameriserch, 2002. Menendez, Albert J. Christmas in the White House. Louisville, Ky.: Westminster John Knox Press, 1983. Park Cultural Landscapes Program. National Park Service Cultural Landscapes Inventory: President's Park South, President's Park. National Park Service. U.S. Department of the Interior. 2010. Seeley, Mary Evans. Season's Greetings From the White House. Tampa, Fla.: A Presidential Christmas, 1998.