Arizona Gov. Ducey kicks off holidays with lighting of Capitol tree

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(Danielle Miller)

PHOENIX - A 25-foot-tall white pine was lit by Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey for the first time on Dec. 1 in the lobby of the state Capitol’s executive tower in a celebration marking the start of the holiday season.

The lighting of the Capitol tree is an annual tradition and brings together schoolchildren, state workers and the governor. This year’s celebration featured Christmas carols sung by students from Chandler High School.

LIST: Arizona cities celebrate tree lightings, Christmas lightshows – kicking off holiday fun

Also on hand were members of a crew who are rebuilding the old Capitol’s copper dome.

The Christmas Tree was harvested Nov. 19 on the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest near Bear Canyon Lake on by a crew from the state Department of Forestry and Fire Management.

A 25-foot-tall white pine will be lit by Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey for the first time on Dec. 1 in the lobby of the state Capitol’s executive tower in a celebration marking the start of the holiday season. (Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management)