SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Every holiday season the California state Capitol is lit up by a giant Christmas tree, but this year the celebration was entirely virtual for the first time in history.

 

What You Need To Know

  • Every December, the California state Capitol is lit up by a giant Christmas tree

  • Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Governor Newsom held a virtual tree lighting celebration for the first time in state history

  • The Christmas tree is decorated with 14,000 LED lights and more than 500 ornaments

  • The holiday tree lighting ceremony originally began in 1931 

Mike Nielson manages every aspect of the Capitol’s Christmas tree and says not even a pandemic could get in the way of spreading some additional holiday cheer this year. 

 

“I think the fact that we’re still doing a Christmas tree and we do have the pandemic gives people the chance to still feel a little normal,” Nielson said.

In September, crews headed to Latour Demonstration State Forest to pick out this year's tree.

 

This year Nielson and his team chose a 65-foot white fir, this, the 22nd Christmas tree that he’s picked out to stand in front of the state Capitol.

“We cut this tree, lift it up with a crane, and then we have a flatbed truck that we get to use from Cal Fire and we bring it down with an escort from CHP,” Nielson said. 

Once the tree arrives in front of the state Capitol, an entire team works to string the Christmas tree with 14,000 LED lights and more than 500 ornaments that must withstand wind and rain.

Nielson oversees every detail of the operation making sure every light and ornament is perfectly placed on the tree.  

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Many of the ornaments are hand made by children and adults with disabilities in community art programs. 

“They’re very creative. They have a lot of character to them and a lot of charm, I think it adds something special to the tree,” Nielson added.

Usually hundreds of people gather around the tree for a lighting ceremony, but this year Gov. Newsom and his family held a virtual celebration due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

 

Still, Nielson says the months of planning are worth every second if it means giving people some extra light in their lives.

“Once the tree’s lit – hopefully that’ll provide a little relief from the stress or disappointment of things not being normal in everyday life,” Nielson said.

He hopes when people do walk by the Capitol this holiday season it provides some extra cheer and happiness during this dark year.