65-foot spruce adorns Capitol lawn for holiday

WASHINGTON -- House Speaker Dennis Hastert of Illinois lit a 65-foot Christmas tree Thursday that had traveled 2,500 miles from Idaho to decorate the U.S. Capitol lawn.

"This is a great season of joy, a season of reflection and a season of thanksgiving," said Hastert, R-Ill.

The tree is an Engelmann Spruce from the Boise National Forest in Idaho. It is decorated with 6,000 ornaments handcrafted by Idaho children and 10,000 lights.

"This is living proof that Idaho is home to more than its famous potatoes," Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman said.

A Christmas tree has been a tradition at the U.S. Capitol since 1964. It will be lit from nightfall to 11 p.m. each evening through Jan. 1.

Idaho also provided about 70 other smaller trees that will be placed in the U.S. Supreme Court, the Botanical Garden and federal office buildings in Washington.