ASHEVILLE, N.C. — The holidays have begun at Biltmore. On Wednesday, the estate celebrated the arrival and raising of its centerpiece: a 35-foot tall, 3,000-pound Fraser fir.
The annual arrival of the tree via horse-drawn carriage is normally a popular event for visitors, who would gather on The Biltmore House's front lawn to view it. During COVID, the estate did not allow the public on site for the tree raising.
The tree is located in the Banquet Hall and will be decorated with 500 ornaments and 500 lights - a Vanderbilt family tradition dating back to 1895 that was inspired by the yuletide tale, “The Night Before Christmas,” the tree and the room will glitter in shades of red, emerald and gold.
Biltmore House itself will be home to 62 hand-decorated Christmas trees, more than 14,000 ornaments, 45,000 holiday lights, 250 candles, 1,000 feet of garland and 175 traditional poinsettias that are refreshed and replaced mid-season.
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