First Family lights the National Christmas Tree

Ultimately, she didn’t get it, and settled with just reading the famous poem ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas along with the First Lady.

When you pick a fresh cut tree, select the freshest one you can find. Thanks to their commitment the 2015 Capitol Christmas Tree has become a huge success story and brought joy to thousands in the towns it passed through all along the route across the nation. Under-watered Christmas trees can lead to fires.

Immediately put the tree into approximately one gallon of warm water. Nationwide, there are more than 350 million Christmas trees in the ground, according to the Detroit Free Press, and a third of them come from the West Coast. Then make sure the tree is at least three feet away from any heat source, like fireplaces, radiators, candles, heat vents or lights.

The best way to test freshness is by bending the branches to make sure they are pliable. Wood said it’s important to do the trim because the sap has solidified and new vessels need to be opened to allow water into the tree. Replace lights that have worn cords or loose bulb connections.

Police in Washington are warning of street closures in advance of the lighting of the National Christmas Tree. Electrical failures or malfunctions were factors in 30 percent of Christmas tree fires. Dried-out trees are a fire danger and should not be left in the home or garage, or placed outside against the home.

“Project Holiday” offers a host of online tips and resources for consumers, along with tools and resources for local fire departments to promote the campaign and its safety messages in their communities.