Christmas Tree Arrives at U.S. Capitol

After making a dozen stops at veteran’s homes, malls and hospitals in six different states, the 2007 Capitol Christmas Tree arrived in Washington, D.C., early this morning. A lighting ceremony for the 60-foot tall balsam fir tree from Vermont is scheduled for December 5, 2007, at 5:00 p.m.

Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, will lead the ceremony with guest speakers including Vermont’s two Senators, Patrick Leahy and Bernie Sanders as well as Vermont’s newest Congressman, Peter Welch. A Vermont-style reception will follow at the Botanical Gardens.

More than 3,500 ornaments adorn the tree, most decorated by Vermont children. Included are 750 candy canes made out of PVC board sheets from Fypon. Each candy cane is 12-inches tall and has been routed to have soft, rounded edges.

“We’re honored to play a sponsorship role in this special event by supplying the candy canes,” says Tom Riscili, president of Fypon. “The organizers in Bennington, Vermont needed durable, weather-resistant products and our PVC fits this request perfectly.”

To make the candy canes, Fypon used one-inch thick sheets of PVC. A sample candy cane was created and then router-cut 750 times from the PVC sheets. Made of closed cell material, PVC is not penetrable by water. Unlike wood or fiberboard, the Fypon PVC will not swell, rot or shed a painted surface due to moisture, making it the ideal product for the exterior ornaments.

For more information on the 2007 Capitol Christmas Tree, including a schedule of events, sponsors and support opportunities, visit www.capitolchristmastree2007.com.

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