LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) - Governor Jim Pillen and First Lady Suzanne are inviting Nebraskans to two holiday events on Dec. 8. The first is the annual lighting of the State Christmas Tree. The second event, which will follow immediately after, is the Hometown Christmas at the Governor’s Residence.

A 24-foot Christmas tree has arrived in the State Capitol to signal the holiday season’s beginnings. Officials say this year’s tree originates from Crystal Spring Tree Farm in Carbon County and is taller than previous trees.

A Holiday Tradition Since 1964

With relatively little trouble, state workers erected this year's Christmas tree inside the Capitol rotunda on Wednesday morning.

Each year a Capitol Christmas Tree is selected from one of America’s 154 national forests. This is the second tree to come from Alaska - the first was in 2015.

In the middle of the last century, Montana produced more than 4 million Christmas trees. The trees came primarily from the northwest corner of the state, earning the town of Eureka the nickname “Christmas Tree Capital of the World,

Gov. Greg Gianforte made his way to Bozeman along with the DNRC to help pick out a 40-foot tree to serve as Montana's 2024 Capitol Christmas Tree.