Capitol Christmas Tree makes a cameo in Alexandria

Kathy Stewart, WTOP news

WASHINGTON — This time of year, the Capitol Christmas Tree is a major superstar. On Saturday, it rolled into Alexandria’s Del Ray neighborhood with a police escort.

Parents and kids lined the street waiting as the flatbed tractor trailer came to a stop. The 65-foot tree, which weighs in at 8,000 pounds, has been on the road for about three weeks on its journey to D.C.

The weather in Alexandria could not have been more perfect, as residents snapped pictures and signed a banner that will go on the truck and act as a giant Christmas card. The truck’s crew has been collecting signatures and messages at every stop along this cross country tour.

But the pit stop in Del Ray was a last minute addition. The only other Virginia stop was Newport News.

Alexandria Mayor Bill Euille was there when the tree arrived. He says he’s not quite sure how they scored the tree, but hints that the “the American Trucking Associations is headquartered in Alexandria.”

Duane Brusseau, the trucker hauling the tree, says each year the Capitol Christmas tree comes from a different state.

“Next year it will be Colorado,” he says.

He definitely is not complaining about this extra stop being added on — in fact he’s enjoying every minute of it.

“This is a chance of a lifetime and it won’t happen again,” Brusseau says.

The next stop? It’s not D.C.

“We’re going past the Capitol to Hershey, Pennsylvania,” he says.

But the tree is scheduled to eventually arrive in Washington on Monday, Nov. 28.

It will take about a week to decorate it before the tree lighting ceremony.

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