Jill Biden receives WH Christmas Tree

Washington, Nov 23:  US First Lady Jill Biden has received the official 2021 White House Christmas tree, which kick-started the annual process of decking the White House, according to media reports.

On Monday, the First Lady received the tree, a tradition since 1966, reports Xinhua news agency.

According to her office, the 18-and-a-half-foot Fraser fir hails from Peak Farms of Jefferson, North Carolina, and was presented by Rusty and Beau Estes, the National Christmas Tree Association's 2021 grand champion growers -- a title they also received during the George W. Bush and Barack Obama administrations.

The tree will be placed in the Blue Room of the White House and decorated with a theme that will be unveiled after the Thanksgiving holiday, reports CNN.

"Every year, the room's chandelier is removed to accommodate the Christmas tree's full height," the office added.

The tradition of the White House Christmas tree dates back to 1889, when President Benjamin Harrison placed the first tree in the Yellow Room, decorated with candles, according to the White House Historical Association.

The tree is believed to have made its debut in the Blue Room during the Taft administration in 1912.

In 1961, the then First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy selected a theme for the Blue Room tree, a tradition that continues till today.