The Missouri Governor’s Mansion is getting into the holiday spirit. A 30-foot Christmas tree will make its way to Jefferson City bright and early Monday morning and will be placed on the Mansion lawn.
Holly Dentner, with the Missouri Department of Conservation, says Steve and Carla Lieble of Columbia donated the oversized Norway Spruce.
Missouri Governor’s Mansion (Photo courtesy of the Missouri Department of Conservation)
“It’s a big one and that’s what we look for. We need a nice large tree for the mansion lawn and fortunately or unfortunately, however you look at it, the Liebles had this beautiful tree in front of their front yard. But their front yard isn’t very large,” says Dentner. “Over the last two or three decades, this tree has grown just way too big for the front yard. It’s getting up close to the house. It’s kind of taking over the lawn. So, it’s at the end of its natural life. It’s time to move on with that tree so it’s going to go out in a blaze of glory on the Mansion lawn.”
Dentner says the Mansion staff found the perfect tree for the lawn.
“From Missouri Conservation’s perspective, trees don’t last forever. So, if we can find a beautiful one that someone is going to have to remove anyway and put it on the lawn for thousands and thousands of people to see during the holiday season, it’s just a nice way to recognize a beautiful live Christmas tree and start that celebration for the holiday,” she says.
Dentner says the Christmas tree is donated each year and has come from all over the state.
“We had one just almost on the border of Iowa a few years ago and then last year was from Desloge in St Francis County. The last seven years I’ve been doing it we’ve had them from Springfield, southeast Missouri. We’ve had a couple from St Louis, one from Canton. I don’t know that we’ve had one this close to home in quite some time,” she says.
The annual tree lighting ceremony and candlelight tours are at the Governor’s Mansion next Friday, December 3, from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.
During the tours, visitors will be able to walk through the festively decorated ground floor of the Mansion. Tours will also be available on Monday, December 6, 2021, from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Since Gov. Mike Parson and First Lady Teresa Parson will be on a trade mission to Israel and Greece, Lt. Governor Mike Kehoe and Second Lady Claudia Kehoe will light the 2021 Mansion Christmas tree at 6 p.m. on Friday.
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