Michelle Obama Receives the White House 2012 Christmas Tree

First Lady Michelle Obama received today the official White House 2012 Christmas tree, together with daughters Malia and Sasha, and first dog Bo. The tree will be displayed in the Blue Room of the White House.

First Lady Michelle Obama, with daughters Sasha and Malia, and the family dog Bo, receives the official White House Christmas tree at the North Portico of the White House, Nov. 23, 2012. The tree, a 19-foot Fraser fir from Jefferson, N.C., arrived in a horse-drawn carriage. (Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy)

The tree a 19-foot Fraser fir from North Carolina, was provided by Rusty and Beau Estes, of Peak Farms, Jefferson, winners of the 2012 National Christmas Tree Association grand championship. The association has been providing the official White House Christmas tree since 1996. The winning tree was selected in early October and harvested this month.

For the first time in history, the trees selected to adorn the vice president’s residence come from North Carolina too, specifically, from the Cool Springs Nursery in Banner Elk. This is great PR for tree farms in the state, according to Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler, cited by Bladen Journal. North Carolina ranks second in the US in Christmas tree production.

“This is the first time the White House tree and vice president’s tree have come from the same state. It speaks volumes about the quality of trees available in North Carolina.”

You can admire the official arrival of the White House 2012 Christmas Tree in the video below. First Lady Michelle Obama said the tree was “perfect.”

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