Capitol Christmas tree arrives in Washington after long journey from Alaska

This year’s Christmas tree for the U.S. Capitol reached its final destination in Washington on Friday after traveling over 4,000 miles for a nearly month-long journey with stops in 17 states.
Each year the U.S. Capitol’s Christmas tree is chosen from one of the country’s 154 national forests.
This year’s 80-foot Sitka spruce was brought in via flatbed tractor-trailer from the Tongass National Forest in Alaska, marking the state’s second Capitol Christmas tree contribution. Tongass also happens to be the largest national forest in the U.S.
The tree has been dubbed “Spruce Wayne” after a naming contest on social media.
“Driving a truck is just plain work, but every stop we went there was happy faces,” said truck driver Fred Austin with Lynden. “It’s a happy way to make a trip.”
The tree will be decorated with thousands of ornaments made by Alaskans before it is lit on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol Building after Thanksgiving.