Kemi Osukoya | November 24, 2025
The holiday season officially arrived in Washington on Monday as First Lady Melania Trump stepped onto the North Portico to receive the 2025 White House Christmas Tree—a majestic 25-foot councilor fir that rolled in by horse-drawn carriage, marking one of the most cherished traditions of the American presidency.
The tree, cultivated and donated by Rex and Jessica Jonson of Konson’s Tree Farms, a second-generation evergreen farm in Michigan, earned the title of Grand Champion in the National Christmas Tree Association’s biennial competition, the highest honor in the U.S. Christmas tree industry.
“It’s a beautiful tree,” the First Lady said with a smile, running her gloved hand along the branches before turning to reporters. “It’s really beautiful. The decorating begins today.”
The tree will soon take its place in the historic Blue Room, where it has stood for decades as the centerpiece of White House holiday décor. Its arrival signals the start of a 59-year tradition that began in 1966, when the National Christmas Tree Association first presented a farm-grown tree to the First Lady. But the roots stretch deeper into American history: President Franklin Pierce displayed the first decorated White House Christmas tree in 1856, and President Calvin Coolidge introduced the National Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony that now draws thousands each year to the Ellipse.
This delivery also kicks off a festive week and month ahead at the White House—from the annual pardoning of the Thanksgiving turkeys on Tuesday, this year’s two lucky turkeys are Gobble and Waddle, named by the American public to the reopening of White House public tours on December 2, which was paused due to the East Wing construction for the new presidential ballroom.
As Washington prepares for winter and the nation edges toward the holidays, the towering evergreen in the Blue Room stands as a reminder that even in a politically charged capital, some traditions endure—green, fragrant, and timeless.
