EIGHTY FOUR, PA — The U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree, an 80-foot Sitka spruce, is lighting up the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol during the 2024 holiday season. The tree, selected from a different national forest each year in a tradition that began in 1970, traveled more than 4,200 miles from the Tongass National Forest in Alaska – America's largest national forest – to reach the West Lawn.

The U.S. Forest Service searched for the perfect tree, evaluating the characteristics of individual trees in the Tongass. The tree's journey included 11 stops, where people signed the truck's banner with personal messages, from Wrangell, Alaska through Fort Wayne, Indiana, and Altoona, Iowa, as well as Dover Air Force Base and Joint Base Andrews.

84 Lumber, one of the nation's privately held building materials suppliers, has been the presenting sponsor of what affectionately is known as "The People's Tree" for three years. As part of its annual holiday celebration, 84 Lumber brought an early Christmas gift to Dover Air Force Base families by donating 84 Christmas trees during a private event held at Major George S. Welch Elementary School & Air Base Middle School. Holiday cheer also arrived at Joint Base Andrews where 84 Lumber also gifted 84 Christmas trees to military families as a small token of gratitude for their service and sacrifice before the tree's last stop on its journey to Washington D.C..

"It's a joy to spread a little extra holiday magic to those who give so much," said 84 Lumber's vice president of marketing, Amy Smiley. "Part of 84 Lumber's messaging for this year's tree was a call to action for employers to consider hiring veterans to fill their open positions. This important message was proudly displayed on the banner adorning the truck carrying the People's Tree," said Smiley.

The U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree initiative is made possible with support from partners like 84 Lumber, along with cash and in-kind contributions from companies large and small, as well as volunteers locally and across the nation. The U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree program creates the opportunity to spotlight public lands with billions of trees across diverse ecosystems.

The tree will be lit from dusk until 11 p.m. each evening until January 1, 2025.