The Annual Capitol Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony, arranged by the Department of General Services (DGS) in cooperation with various organizations, is always a highlight of the yuletide season in Central Pennsylvania.
“In the next few weeks, across Pennsylvania, families will gather together around trees just like this one to be together to fondly remember the past, to hope for the future, to laugh and joke together, to remember lost loved ones, to celebrate new lives and relationships, and simply to be together during the holidays,” said Governor Tom Wolf. “This tree lighting today is symbolic of an act that will happen all over Pennsylvania – the gathering together of family and friends around a symbol of the season and I am proud and privileged to light this tree, and kick off the Christmas season in the commonwealth.”
The Rotunda tree is Douglas Fir, standing 22-feet tall decorated with 800 LED lights and more th an 500 ornaments hand-crafted and graciously donated by members of senior centers throughout Pennsylvania. The wooden toys and train displayed under the Rotunda tree were handcrafted many years ago by the talented DGS employees of the Carpentry Shop and Sign Shop. Each holiday season, electricians, carpenters and groundskeepers, and DGS employees, decorate the tree, rotunda, and other areas around the capitol.
The Capitol Steps and Rotunda trees were purchased from the Crystal Spring Tree farm in Lehighton, Carbon County, along with a 15-foot Douglas Fir placed in Soldiers’ Grove and 26 smaller trees to be used throughout the Capitol Complex and Governor’s Residence.
The Rotunda tree will be lit daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., while the Capitol Steps and Soldiers Grove trees will be lit daily from 5 p.m. to midnight through the week of January 9, 2017.