Politics & Government
Come See Unique Ornaments Decorating The Executive Council Chambers Christmas Tree
Meagan Rose, assistant to the Executive Council, said it's a holiday tradition for the chambers to get a fresh and fragrant Christmas tree.
CONCORD, NH — The Executive Council Chambers is decked out for the holidays with some very interesting ornaments.
If you go to the State House, be sure to check out the tree on the second floor and look carefully at its many unique adornments.
Find out what's happening in Concordfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Who knew the State Fire Marshal's Office has a snow globe ornament or that you can find a replica of one of the two recently decommissioned tramway cars for Cannon - "Ketchup" - hanging from a balsam limb?
Peeking out from a high limb near the portrait of Josiah Bartlett Jr. is an ornament that says "Chris Sununu" for the former governor.
Find out what's happening in Concordfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
There's a Jesse Lewis "Choose Love" ornament and a 2023 ornament that shows the 400-seat Representatives Hall among the lights and glistening balls.
Meagan Rose, assistant to the Executive Council, said it's a holiday tradition for the chambers to get a fresh and fragrant Christmas tree grown in Bethlehem at the Rocks Estate, which is owned by The Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests.
The Rocks is famous for its horse-drawn sleigh rides through the snowy fields of trees for those who come to pick and cut their own tree for $70, a donation to the nonprofit.
The Rocks is also known for sending many of its grown trees to troops serving all across the world. The base of the large Christmas tree is encircled with massive poinsettias which annually come from Murray Farms in Concord.
There are more than a dozen of these plants in the chambers, which also decorate the large fireplace area and Murray Farms also provides plants in the summer months for the law enforcement memorial outside the Legislative Office Building, which is part of the State House Plaza.
Gov. Kelly Ayotte began the meeting of the council Wednesday by thanking the staff including Rose, Caitlin Bean and Donna Schoenfeld, conference and event planner for the governor's office, who worked quickly just after Thanksgiving to get the tree up and decorated and to make the space look special.
"Thank you for all the great work," Ayotte said to applause.
The three worked to put up all the lights and when they turned it on, of course, the lights did not work. But they were able to find the fault in the first string and when adjusted it worked, Rose said.
This article first appeared on InDepthNH.org and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
