Officials from the White House are coming to North Carolina on Monday to select a Christmas Tree from a family-owned tree business.
Cline Church Nursery in Ashe County was chosen by the National Christmas Tree Association after winning the annual nationwide competition. Last year, Cline Church Nursery won the state contest and presented a tree to Vice President Kamala Harris.
The Cline Church Nursery started in 1977 and sells trees such as dogwood and white pine. Cline Church Nursery’s owner Amber Scott said White House officials will be choosing from Fraser fir trees, which is popular during the holidays.
“The White House staff will pick out ‘the one,’” she said. “It has to meet some specifications, such as it has to be at least 18-and-a-half feet tall, and it needs to be viewable from 360 degrees because it'll be seen from every angle in the Blue Room [in the White House].”
Monday’s selection process starts at 3:30 p.m. at Cline Church Nursery. After the White House officials pick the tree, another event will be held Nov. 15 to cut down the tree. That one will be free and open to the public.
Scott said this is the 15th time that North Carolina will be presenting a Christmas tree to the White House, the most out of any state in the U.S.
Last year, a Christmas tree from the Pisgah National Forest was displayed in front of the Capitol in Washington, D.C.
In 2021, the White House Christmas tree came from a family farm in Jefferson, North Carolina. According to the North Carolina Christmas Tree Association, 1971 was the first time the White House selected a Christmas tree from North Carolina.
