North Carolina's Christmas Tree Tradition

Joanne K., Pitt County Extension Master Gardener Volunteer
Tis' the season for Christmas trees! Even before Thanksgiving colorfully decorated trees could be seen everywhere in town. For many families, trimming the tree is a treasured family tradition.
Christmas trees haven't always been a seasonal decoration. They didn't come to the United States until the 1800s when Hessian mercenaries fighting for the British during the Revolutionary War brought trees to their barracks during the holiday.
In 1870 the U.S. government declared Christmas a federal holiday. By the 1930s the Christmas tree was firmly established in the American Christmas celebration.

North Carolina is among the top six Christmas-tree producing states in the country. In the state, more than a dozen Christmas tree species are grown at more than 1,500 Christmas tree farms.
The most commonly grown Christmas tree is the Fraser fir (Abies fraseri) accounting for more than 90% of those grown on North Carolina tree farms. Its pyramidal shape, strong branches, and intensely fragrant pine scent make it a favorite choice for holiday decor. In 2005, the NC General Assembly made the Fraser fir the official NC Christmas tree.

Fraser firs are grown in the mountains in North Carolina. Jill Sidebottom, NC State Extension

A spring day on one of the more than 1,500 Christmas tree farms in North Carolina. NC State Extension

Growing Christmas trees is labor intensive. The Fraser fir requires more than 10 years to harvest. Each tree must be shaped, fertilized, and taken care of more than 100 times during that period.
North Carolina trees are shipped to every state and many countries around the world. They have been selected for the official White House Christmas tree 16 times. This year Cartner's Christmas Tree Farm in Newland, NC, in western North Carolina was selected for the honor through the National Christmas Tree Association's annual national tree contest.

Christmas trees appear in many offices during the holidays. Joanne K.

Themed trees are popular as in this purple-and-gold one featuring ECU Pirate colors. Joanne K.

A wide variety of decorations, including real pine cones and berries, are used as ornaments on Christmas trees. Joanne K.

This 18 1/2-foot tree is displayed in the White House Blue Room extending from floor to ceiling. It's surrounded by a colorful carousel with the names of every state, territory, and the District of Columbia included in the tree's decorations.

This is the 18 1/2-foot Fraser fir selected as the 2024 White House Christmas tree. NC Christmas Tree Association.Cool Water Productions

The North Carolina Fraser fir in the White House Blue Room is surrounded by a colorful carousel.
https:www.whitehouse.gov/holidays-2024/

North Carolinians can be very proud of our state's long Christmas-tree growing tradition that has supplied so many trees to the White House and homes around the world.

For more information:

https://ncchristmastrees.com/our-story/real-tree-history/

https://northcarolinahistory.org/encyclopedia/north-carolina-state-christmas-tree-fraser-fir/

https://ncchristmastrees.com/nc-tree-white-house-bound/

https://www.whitehouse.gov/holidays-2024/