BOISE, Idaho — This story originally appeared in the Idaho Press.
Christmas time is here.
The season was noticeably marked in downtown Boise on Monday, when the 2024 Statehouse Christmas tree was cut and set up in front of the Capitol.
The tree now stands in a hole 10 feet deep that’s specifically used for the Statehouse Christmas tree, and several organizations — including the Department of Lands, Idaho Transportation Department and Boise Police Department — came together to make it happen, closing down some roads in downtown Boise, assisting with chopping and transporting Christmas to the Capitol.
The around 36-foot-tall blue spruce tree came from the front of the Len B. Jordan building on 650 W State St. — behind the Capitol — just like it did last year, according to Jason Haroian, senior landscape tech for the state of Idaho, where it was chopped down and transported to the Statehouse around 10 a.m. Monday.
”It was time for the tree to come down; it was part of the state property, and so we decided to cut it down,” said Lisa Makin, facilities coordinator with the Department of Administration.
After the tree was transported, the Department of Lands crew anchored the tree into the hole, leveled the tree and secured it in the hole. Just like a live Christmas tree in the living room, there’s water in the hole that keeps the tree in front of the Capitol hydrated, Makin said.
The tree, Haroian said, weighs around 3,750 pounds and was around 25 years old.
”We get a lot of people asking to remove their trees, but it’s got to be some criteria,” Paul Navarro, facilities manager, said. “We look for a very conical shape, very straight...this tree meets that criteria.”
Gov. Brad Little and first lady Teresa Little will host the annual Tree Lighting Ceremony on Dec. 3 after dark. The tree will be decked out in lights, Haroian said, and have a star on its top.
The blue spruce won’t be the only thing decorated for the holidays at the Capitol.
There used to be a poinsettia tree inside the Capitol each Christmas season, Haroian said, but when Little was elected, the first lady wanted to do something a little different.
”We started with this kind of a winter wonderland display. It’s kind of evolved over the last four years,” Haroian said. “Two years ago, we dolled it up more Christmas Eve, but Edwards Greenhouse does our poinsettias every year, and this year we’ve changed the variety of poinsettias.”
Several trees stand on the main floor rotunda of the Capitol building, where poinsettias will outline the compass that’s already on the floor, Haroian said. And, hanging high above the “winter wonderland” setup is a 150-pound wreath that’s about 7 feet tall, Haroian said. Eventually, the Capitol will be filled with hundreds of poinsettias, which Haroian will be tasked with watering every couple of days during the holiday season.
The tree and decorations are all meant to bring people together and spread holiday cheer, Haroian said.
”The tree lighting is really fun,” he said. “It just cheers people up. You wouldn’t believe how many Christmas cards use this as the backdrop, and we get people from all over the world here. It’s just nice to have it.”
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