OL' TANNENBAUM:
After centuries of that morbidly obese elf from the Arctic getting all the ink, Santa Fe will finally get its comeuppance on Santa Claus this Christmas. That's because Old St. Nick will be necking Mother America under a tree sacrificed from the Santa Fe National Forest come December.
On July 25 and 26, Matthew Evans-the Senior Landscape Architect and Horticulturist for the US Capitol-ventured into our woodlands with visions of sugar-plums and chainsaws dancing in his head to select the tree that will adorn the nation's capital this year.
According to Santa Fe National Forest Supervisor Gilbert Zepeda, Forest Service personnel have been scouting for Capitol Holiday Tree candidates for almost a year. The field of prospects was narrowed down to about eight trees for Evans' inspection, though the location of the final selection will be kept secret until it's chopped down in November. After which the giant yule log will take a publicity roadie through New Mexico before making its way to Washington, DC along with 60 to 80 smaller trees to be displayed in government offices throughout the capital.
First Lady Barbara Richardson has joined the effort to show the folks at the North Pole that New Mexico can also effectively exploit cheap labor from little people when she helps-along with state Education Secretary Veronica Garcia-co-ordinate the making of some 3,000 ornaments for the Capitol Holiday Tree by New Mexico schoolchildren.
Sue Probart, director of Tree New Mexico, is seeking out sponsors for the tree project and country musician Randy Travis (who calls Santa Fe home) has already signed on as an honorary celebrity sponsor.
Stick that one in your chimney and smoke it, Kringle.
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