Biltmore welcomes Christmas tree

The delivery of a towering Fraser fir tree at Biltmore House last week kicked off the estate’s holiday celebration, which runs through January 8.

It took more than 50 staff members to hoist the 35-foot-tall tree onto their shoulders and carry it into the Banquet Hall, where a system of ropes secured it in place. The tree came from Andrews Nursery in Avery County, North Carolina, and is a nod to a tradition started by George Vanderbilt on Christmas Eve 1895, when he opened his 250-room home to friends and family for the first time. As tradition dictates, the tree is decorated with 500 ornaments and lights, with wrapped packages tucked into its branches. It serves as the seasonal centerpiece in the Banquet Hall.

Throughout 2022, Biltmore has been part of the national celebration of the 200th birthday of Frederick Law Olmsted, the estate’s landscape architect. Biltmore’s team of designers planned décor around a “Winter Landscapes” theme that brings the outdoors inside and honors Olmsted’s grand achievements.

Décor in the house includes 67 hand-decorated Christmas trees, more than 14,000 ornaments, 45,000 holiday lights, 250 candles, 1,000 feet of garland, and 150 traditional poinsettias.