The National Christmas Tree, fully decorated this week for its official dedication on Thursday, was blown over after a major gust of wind swept across the Ellipse on Tuesday, WUSA CBS-9 in Washington reports. Apparently, the War on Christmas is taking a number of hits because this is the second tree that was supposed to be this year’s holiday tree: the first one was replaced after it developed a fungus.
The original tree, planted in October 2021, was taken down and replaced November 14th with a cut 40-foot Norway spruce,which was held in place with support cables. The contractor who decorated the tree with return after the tree is uprighted, but plans for the Thursday ceremony are still in place. Since 1973, the National Christmas has been a transplanted “living” evergreen, which over the years has had to be replaced after the tree became damaged or diseased.