A symbol of resilience and hope: White House Christmas tree chosen from North Carolina area hit hard by Hurricane Helene
By Maria Sole Campinoti, CNN
(CNN) — This year’s official White House Christmas tree comes from western North Carolina, one of the areas hardest hit by Hurricane Helene in late September.
White House staff traveled to Cartner’s Christmas Tree Farm in Newland, Avery County, on Monday to select the 20-foot-tall Fraser fir that will decorate the Blue Room.
It’s the second time in a row a tree from North Carolina has been selected for the White House, and the first from Cartner’s Christmas Tree Farm. The farm’s owner, Sam Cartner, said this is an achievement for all the tree farms in western North Carolina.
“When it goes to the White House, it’s not about the politics, it’s about the people of this community,” he said.
Avery County was one of the areas hardest hit by Hurricane Helene, considered to be among the deadliest hurricanes to strike the US mainland in the last 50 years, CNN previously reported. At least 220 people were killed across six states.
Cartner hopes their tree will be a symbol of resilience and resourcefulness for the people who demonstrated an “unbelievable sense of community, of generosity and giving” during Hurricane Helene.
The farm lost between 5,000 and 6,000 Christmas trees from landslides, most of which were four feet tall or less and would have been market-ready in four years, Cartner said.
Most of the farm’s roads and infrastructures damaged by the hurricane have been repaired and Cartner expects to have a “relatively normal harvest.”
“We are lucky that our farm is not in a river valley or close to a major river,” he said.
Other farms in Avery County lost 8-foot-tall trees ready to be sold this holiday season, Cartner said. And some growers are still unable to access their farms, due to fallen trees and unstable roads.
The North Carolina Department of Transportation says it is working closely with tree growers in the area to restore several connector roads and secondary routes still damaged from major slides and fallen trees.
At this time, it is unclear when access to all the farms will be restored, according to a spokesperson for the Department of Transportation.
The impact of Hurricane Helene on the Christmas tree industry was minimal
As North Carolina tree growers approach the start of the Christmas tree “cutting season,” which begins in two weeks, most believe they will be open for business, according to Jennifer Greene, executive director of the North Carolina Christmas Tree Association.
“I think that it is awesome, it symbolizes hope, and it shows the perseverance and the strength of the communities and of our Christmas tree farms,” Greene said.
North Carolina is the second-largest Christmas tree-producing state in the nation, and it harvests over 3 million Christmas trees annually, according to Greene.
It is unclear how many Fraser firs were damaged in the hurricane.
“There were some losses from larger trees due to landslides and mudslides but it’s minimal in comparison to our industry, in comparison to how many trees we have and how many we grow,” Greene said.
Authorities believe they will have a better estimate of how many trees were lost to the hurricane after the Christmas season.
“We do not expect the aftermath of Hurricane Helene to have a significant effect on the supply of real North Carolina Fraser fir Christmas trees this holiday season,” said Tim O’Connor, executive director of the association.
“It will take some time to fully assess the extent and implications of damage to Christmas tree farms affected by the hurricane, but our farmers have weathered the storm and are ready to persevere,” he added.
A ‘beauty contest’ for Christmas trees
The White House Christmas tree is selected at a contest hosted by the National Christmas Tree Association, the national trade association and advocacy organization for the farm-grown Christmas tree industry.
“Every tree selected for the White House is the best tree among those that fit the criteria for height and width,” said O’Connor.
The tree must be between 18-20 feet tall, and approximately 12 feet wide.
The North Carolina Fraser fir is the most popular Christmas tree, and the state produces about 20% of all real Christmas trees, according to the North Carolina Christmas Tree Association.
It’s the 16th time a North Carolina Fraser fir has been selected for the White House, more than any other state in the nation, according to Greene.
Growers spend years caring for and selecting their trees for the contest.
“It is a subjective decision, essentially a beauty contest, reached by comparing the trees,” O’Connor said.
To compete in the contest, tree growers first need to win their state or regional Christmas Tree Association contest.
“Growers bring their tree entry to the national contest site from all over the country to be displayed for judging,” said O’Connor.
Cartner’s Christmas Tree Farm was named the 2024 Grand Champion Grower.
“With this award goes the honor of presenting a Christmas tree to the White House,” O’Connor said.
The farm will cut, wrap and ship the Fraser Fir on November 20 at an event to raise money for hurricane survivors, Cartner said.
It will arrive at the White House North Portico via jingle bell-bedecked horse and carriage and it will be inspected by the first lady – a tradition since 1966 – which usually marks the kickoff of the White House’s annual holiday festivities.
The tree will be placed in the center of the White House Blue Room and decorated with a theme that will be unveiled after the Thanksgiving holiday.
The tree will be presented at a formal ceremony at the White House on November 25.
Correction: An earlier version of this story overstated Helene’s death toll. At least 220 people died in the storm.
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