Store shelves are lined with school supplies this time of year, and some already have Halloween decorations. But Forest Service workers in Idaho are thinking about Christmas.
The People’s Tree – the towering evergreen that stands in Capitol Square to represent the people of the United States – will be harvested from Northern Idaho this year. But the U.S. Forest Service needs thousands of ornaments to decorate it.
“All of the ornaments that go to the tree are handmade from people in our communities,” said Kayti Bauer, a recreation management specialist for the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests.
She’s been unboxing some of the latest designs people have been sending in.
“Things are coming in every day; it’s so fun to see all the creative ornaments,” she said. “We’ve seen yarn, fabric, stained glass…”
The goal is to get 10,000 ornaments to send with the tree on its journey to the East Coast, Bauer said. So far, they have about 2500, from wooden cookies to fish made with pop tabs.
“I love seeing what people can do with things like pop caps and pine cones, things you can find laying around your house. Old CDs, those are shiny, and would look great on an ornament,” Bauer said.
She’s encouraging everyone to get creative, make some shiny holiday ornaments and send them in to the U.S. Forest Service office in Kamiah.
Learn more about the project and find ornament-making events near you at uscapitolchristmastree.com.
Finished ornaments can be mailed to:
Attn: 2026 CCT Ornament Team
Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest SO
1008 ID-64 Kamiah, ID 83536