Capitol Tree makes stop in Gallup

Juan Delgado, leader of the Neighborhood Senior Singers, presents a Christmas tree ornament to Dolores Maes, public affairs director for the Santa Fe National Forest, Monday at the Gallup Cultural Center on Historic Route 66. The ornament was presented to be placed on the Capitol Holiday Tree which stopped in Gallup as it toured New Mexico before travelling to its final stop in Washington D.C. The U.S. Forest service received more than 25,000 ornamants to be placed on the tree and on the 65 companion trees traveling with it to be placed throughout the Nation's Capitol. [Photo by Jeff Jones/Independent]

By Bill Donovan
Staff Writer

GALLUP — The tree that will grace the Capitol building in Washington, D.C. this Christmas made brief stops in Gallup and Grants on Monday.

The Capitol Holiday Christmas Tree, as it is called, came to the two cities lying on its side in a long trailer as part of a state-wide tour that is expected to take about a week.

Once the tour is done, the tree will be on its way to Washington, D.C. where it will be lighted on Dec. 8 by the Speaker of the House.

The 90-year-old Engleman spruce (65 feet long) was cut down at the Cibola National Forest near Baca about a week ago.

The tree, said Krysia Baron, one of two U.S. Forest Service officials who will travel with the tree, was among eight that were nominated to be put in front of the Capitol building. All were from New Mexico forests since New Mexico was the state chosen this year to furnish the tree.

The Capitol tree is selected from various national forests throughout the country. The last time a New Mexico tree was chosen was 1992.

Chamber of Commerce Herb Mosher said it was a great honor for New Mexico to be selected to furnish this year's tree.

"This is one of those perfect trees that have all the branches in the right place," he said.

Baron said the tree will be going to almost every major city in the state in the coming week and at every site, local officials are given the opportunity to hold a brief ceremony.

"The tree has already been blessed several times," she said.

The tree has also been sung to repeatedly, as in Gallup, where local students sang Christmas carols in its honor.

To make sure the tree survives the long journey across the country, a 50 gallon bladder has been installed into the truck that carries it and along the way firefighters fill up the bladder.

As for what happens to the tree when the holiday season is over, forest service officials said its fate is pretty much like that of every Christmas tree turned into mulch.