Capitol Architect live-tweets arrival of Capitol Christmas tree

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas on Capitol Hill with the arrival of this year’s Christmas tree on Monday.

The Architect of the Capitol live-tweeted the arrival and raising by crane of the tree, a 65-foot Engelmann spruce from Colorado, which now sits on the lawn west of the Capitol dome.

Capitol Christmas Tree now in place. AOC crews now prepare tree for lighting Dec 4, 5 pm. instagr.am/p/SgBiXrmN2w/

— U.S. Capitol (@uscapitol) November 26, 2012

A tree that large requires plenty of planning to secure it to the ground, and the official Twitter feed of the architect captured minute-by-minute as the tree arrived on a trailer and lifted into place.

Capitol Tree has arrived. instagr.am/p/Sf0wa6GN_N/

— U.S. Capitol (@uscapitol) November 26, 2012

Capitol Christmas Tree nearly in place on West Front. instagr.am/p/Sf96hyGN0d/

— U.S. Capitol (@uscapitol) November 26, 2012

The tree currently stands bare but will be decorated — using approximately 5,000 ornaments handmade by Coloradoans — by the Capitol ground crew.

The lighting ceremony takes place Dec. 4 and will feature House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio.). The tree will be lit from nightfall until 11 p.m. each evening through Dec. 26, according to the architect of the Capitol.

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