Melania Trump Welcomes the Arrival of the 2025 Official White House Christmas Tree
The first lady also greeted second-generation owners of Korson’s Tree Farms in central Michigan where the tree was selected.
It was bright and sunny midday on Monday as First Lady Melania Trump stepped out of the White House North Portico to welcome the official White House Christmas tree.
Mrs. Trump, dressed in an off-white overcoat and long red gloves, walked around the approximately 20-foot-tall tree tethered to a green, horse-drawn open carriage decorated with red bows. Three men in black coats and top hats controlled the reins of the two Clydesdales.
As she made her way around the rear of the carriage where the top of the tree spilled over its edge, she smiled, waved and commented that it was “beautiful” before lingering and wishing everyone a Merry Christmas.
The arrival of the official White House Christmas tree is a decades-long tradition that kicks off the holiday season.
The moment, though, for husband and wife Rex and Jessica Korson, second-generation owners of Korson’s Tree Farms in Sidney Michigan, was the climax of six attempts in the National Christmas Tree Association (NCTA) Christmas Tree Contest. In 2015, they came close when they placed Reserve Grand Champion, a distinction that allowed them to provide seven Christmas trees for display at the Vice President’s residence.
“Seeing our farm tree on the Official White House horse-drawn carriage was surreal,” Jessica Korson told East Wing Magazine on Monday. It also may have felt that way for the entire state of Michigan, which hasn’t seen a grower from the state named a Grand Champion by the NCTA since 1985.
The 22-year-old concolor fir, known for its elegant form and soft blue-green needles, was picked in part because of its dark green color, Rex Korson told a local CBS affiliate. It was cut down last Wednesday, transported roughly 650 miles from Korson’s Tree Farms in central Michigan in an enclosed trailer and arrived in Washington, D.C., on Friday morning, Jessica Korson said.
Korson’s earned the title of “2025 NCTA Grand Champion Growers” by winning the NCTA National Tree Contest in July. As Grand Champion, the grower earned the opportunity to present one of their trees to First Lady Melania Trump that will be on display in the Blue Room of the White House this holiday season. The tree was selected from Korson’s in September by White House Superintendent of Grounds Dale Haney. Winners of the NCTA’s national tree contest have provided the Official White House Christmas Tree since 1966.
“We’re beyond honored and proud to represent American Christmas tree farmers by carrying on the tradition of providing the White House Blue Room a real Christmas tree,” Jessica Korson said, who also thanked their farm crew. “We could not be the farm we are without all of their hard work and dedication.”
The ceremony also allowed for the Korson’s to have a private audience with the first lady.
“She asked about the farm and our family,” Jessica Korson said. “Then, she invited us back to see the tree when it was decorated.”
Winning the national contest is a difficult task accomplished by highly skilled Christmas tree farmers. To be eligible for the national contest, farmers must first compete in and win their state or regional association contest. It may be the most unique event in all agriculture, as there is no other agricultural endeavor with a similar signature event, according to the NCTA. There is a 2-stage process to the contest that includes a panel of expert judges scoring each tree, then attendees of the conference voting from among the finalist trees.
“This tree in the Blue Room will see probably at least 100,000 people,” said Haney as he walked several areas of Korson’s farm. “It’s probably one of the most seen Christmas trees in the world.”
He also stressed that the tree displayed in the Blue Room is in the center of the room and needs to not have a “bad side.” Size is also important as the tree needs to reach 18.5 feet to the tip of the ceiling to conceal power wires from the removed chandelier fixture.
Korson’s Tree Farms is a evergreen farm that was originally established by the elder Wayne Korson and his wife, Vicki, in 1973. Rex and Jessica Korson bought the business from his parents in 2003.
“We’ve been entering the National Contest since 2009,” said Rex Korson in a press release. “We’ve come close to winning before, but it just shows you how hard it is to win and how determined you have to be to compete.”