Last Updated on March 26, 2022 2:34 pm
The selection of the 2018 White House Christmas Tree took place in Avery County on Monday.
White House Chief Usher Timothy Harleth and White House Superintendent of Grounds Dale Haney made the selection at the farm of the National Christmas Tree Association (NCTA) Grand Champion Christmas Tree grower Larry Smith, of Mountain Top Fraser Fir in Newland.
Smith will present First Lady Melania Trump with a real Fraser Fir Christmas Tree for display in the White House Blue Room on November 19, 2018. The selected tree will be harvested Wednesday, November 14, 2018.
After five attempts in the National Tree Contest, Smith said “I feel as though I have finally won the Super Bowl. It’s a great honor to represent the Christmas tree industry by providing the Official White House Christmas Tree in 2018.” Smith provided the first Christmas Tree to the Vice President after the residence was moved to the Naval Observatory from the Blair House following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
Since 1966, members of the National Christmas Tree Association have presented the official White House Christmas Tree for display in the Blue Room. Each year NCTA hosts a national tree contest at which growers, industry experts and consumers vote to select the Real Christmas Tree grower who will provide the official White House Christmas Tree. To qualify for the national contest, growers must first win their state or regional competitions.
2018 marks the 53rd year a member from the National Christmas Tree Association has presented the official White House Christmas Tree.
White House staff are in Avery county today to pick a Christmas tree to be displayed in the blue room @SpecNewsCLT pic.twitter.com/jVB2OM9vOp
— Rose Eiklor (@Rose_Eiklor) September 24, 2018
White House staff are searching for the perfect tree @SpecNewsCLT pic.twitter.com/oBsq26xPzY
— Rose Eiklor (@Rose_Eiklor) September 24, 2018
Here it is the new White House Christmas tree @SpecNewsCLT pic.twitter.com/geQN8qfaBe
— Rose Eiklor (@Rose_Eiklor) September 24, 2018
Blessing the White House Christmas tree @SpecNewsCLT pic.twitter.com/EGIn8P7XYm
— Rose Eiklor (@Rose_Eiklor) September 24, 2018
Photos courtesy of Senator Deanna Ballard
