“Silver Belle” 2025’s National Christmas Tree

Copyright ©2025 Deborah M. Zajac. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

PLEASE DO NOT USE MY IMAGES WITHOUT EXPRESSED WRITTEN PERMISSION.

This year for the first time in Nevada’s history a tree from The Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest will be traveling to Washington, D.C, and the United States Capitol Building to be The People’s Tree aka The National Christmas Tree.

The tree is named “Silver Belle”. She’s 53 feet tall (1.615.44 cm) and it’s a Red Fir tree.

After she was harvested she was taken to get ready for her journey across the country. There she was decorated, and placed in a special trailer that will be driven to Washington, D.C. She made her first stop in Carson City on November 1, 2025 in the Nevada Day Parade. There are windows so you can see just the top of the tree.

©Deborah M. Zajac | http//:circadianreflections.com
The Christmas Tree logo was designed by Stan Can Design of Reno, NV

Since early summer Nevadans have been making ornaments for National Christmas Tree. I heard the call was made for 10,000 ornaments, and Nevada delivered and more! The extra ornaments will be used on companion trees that will be placed in other Federal Buildings.

While getting the National Christmas Tree ready they made a tree cookie and discovered the tree is 50 years old, has a 20 inch diameter, and 16 inch crown spread.

©Deborah M. Zajac | http//:circadianreflections.com Image
©Deborah M. Zajac | http//:circadianreflections.com
Fun Facts about “Silver Belle” the People’s Tree.

After the National Christmas Tree left the parade the truck and National Forest Park Rangers made their way down the street to the Toyota Dealership where the tree was on display for 3 hours. We were able to sign the banner, take photos, and see Smokey the Bear.

©Deborah M. Zajac | http//:circadianreflections.com
I signed the banner.

A tree skirt depicting all 17 Nevada counties was made. I have to show you in four parts as it’s so large and not laying flat.

©Deborah M. Zajac | http//:circadianreflections.com
©Deborah M. Zajac | http//:circadianreflections.com
©Deborah M. Zajac | http//:circadianreflections.com
©Deborah M. Zajac | http//:circadianreflections.com

I have several favorite panels on the tree skirt. Douglas, of course it’s my county, and it’s full of stars. I also like Eureka, Pershing, and Washoe’s panels a lot. I’m not sure if this will be on the lawn under the tree or in a building under one of the companion trees? Most likely indoors.

The truck and National Christmas Tree will be making its way across the country making 13 stops along the way. You can sign the banner, buy official U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree merch, take loads of photos, and learn more about Nevada’s National forest. Here’s the list of scheduled stops.

Saturday, Nov. 1- Nevada Day Parade, Carson City, Nevada

Sunday, Nov. 2- Lovelock, and Elko, Nevada

Monday, Nov. 3- Ely, Nevada

Tuesday, Nov. 4- Las Vegas, Nevada

Friday, Nov. 7- Flagstaff, Arizona

Saturday, Nov. 8- Albuquerque, New Mexico

Sunday, Nov. 9- Amarillo, Texas

Monday, Nov. 10- Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Tuesday, Nov. 11- Lenexa, Kansas

Wednesday, Nov. 12- St. Louis, Missouri

Friday, Nov. 14- Paducah, Kentucky

Saturday, Nov. 15- Lexington, Kentucky

Thursday, Nov. 20- Joint Base Andrews, Maryland

The U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree initiative began in 1964. One of the 154 national forests provide a tree to serve as the Nation’s Christmas Tree.

This is the first time in the program’s history that a tree has been selected from the Humboldt-Toyabe forest.

It’s pretty neat that Nevada was chosen this year and I was able to see it and be there for its first leg of the historic journey to Washington, D.C.

If you’re near or in one of the cities it will stop I hope you are able to see it too. All events are free and open to the public.

Notes- It’s really cool that the National Park Service worked so hard during the shutdown to make sure the National Christmas Tree got to the West Lawn.

I blurred the faces of a lot people in the background of several images because there were kids, and people who may not want to be included in my blog post. I hope you didn’t find it too distracting.

Information gleaned from the Official 2025 Nevada Day Program| NevadaDay.com

Have a great week-end!

more to come…

Thursday Doors-Christmas Doors

Copyright ©2024 Deborah M. Zajac. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

PLEASE DO NOT USE MY IMAGES WITHOUT EXPRESSED WRITTEN PERMISSION.

This week we’re sharing favorite Christmas Doors. I went up to Carson City to photograph and see the Governor’s Mansion display of lights.

©Deborah M. Zajac | http//:circadianreflections.com Image

Here’s a closer look at the doors, well as close as I could get.

©Deborah M. Zajac | http//:circadianreflections.com Image

After viewing some of the lights downtown I stopped in Scoup’s a local Ice Cream and Soup cafe for a bowl of soup and saw this door hanging on the wall.

©Deborah M. Zajac | http//:circadianreflections.com Image

Next week we’re sharing favorite 2024 doors then we’ll have a break until next year.

This post is part of the Thursday Doors challenge hosted by Dan Antion. If you’d like to see more Christmas doors from around the world head on over to his blog here-https://nofacilities.com/2024/12/12/osv-gingerbread-doors/

more to come…

Whatever Weds. Christmas Greetings!

Copyright ©2021 Deborah M. Zajac. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Believe. ” To believe in the wonder of the season is to see through the eyes of the heart.”~Flavia

Christmas Vignette

From our house to yours, may your holidays be wrapped in wonder and love.

Nikon D810| Nikkor 50mm f/1.8G| PS CC 23.0.0

more to come…

Whatever Weds. Lighted Golf Cart Parade

Copyright ©2020 Deborah M. Zajac. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

As I mentioned last week we were going to be treated to a Lighted Golf Cart Parade in my community by several neighbors that have their own golf carts.

It was a small but festive parade with just 6 golf carts. Myself and my neighbors waited outside in the cold for the parade to get to our end of the street. It was dark by the time they arrived. Here are a few images of the parade.

Here they come!

Santa!

…and quick as wink they were gone.

It was fun, and I hope they do it again next year!

I hope you’re all enjoying the Holiday lights and spirit of Christmas, and having a good week!

Nikon D810| Nikkor 80-200mm f/2.8D| PS CC 22.0.1

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Whatever Weds. The Santa Train

Copyright ©2019 Deborah M. Zajac. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

In December the Nevada State Railroad Museum located in Carson City, NV rolls out N°25 to drive The Santa Train.

You know when I went to the Railroad Museum before she wasn’t out that time. click here to see that post.  I’ve wanted to get back up here to see the Steamie since.

Just as I did before I arrived early hoping to see the crew rolling her out of the garage, but I was a wee bit late she was already out and building pressure.  N°25 was built in 1905 by the Baldwin Locomotive Works.  She’s a 78-ton 10-wheeler. She hauled both passenger and freight cars between Carson, Virginia City, and Reno from 1911 to 1947.

Now she runs on special days throughout the year.

Copyright © Deborah M. Zajac ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

One of the special events she’s rolled out for is during December when she’s The Santa Train which is  N°25, a passenger car, and a red caboose. Passengers come for a ride around the station and Santa Claus is on the train to talk to the children, and I hear he passes out candy canes to everyone.

Here she is at the station getting some water, and passengers.

The Santa Train

I spy Santa!  He’s with the Conductor, Engineer, the Brakemen, and some Elves disguised as cowboys. 😉

Santa Claus

Here comes THE SANTA TRAIN!! TOOT! TOOT!

The Santa Train

I don’t know if I’ll be posting much anymore this year things are going to get busy pretty quick. Big Baby Boy and The Crosscourt Kitty🐈 are arriving soon for the Holidays and #1 Grandson is coming to visit too!

There’ll be kids jingle belling, holiday greetings, gay happy meetings, and tales of the glories of Christmases long, long ago! It really is the most wonderful time of the year!

In case I don’t get another chance to let me wish you all a very Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukah, and a Happy, Healthy, Prosperous New Year!! xx

I’m chugging out…TOOOOT! TOOT! 😍

Nikon D810| Nikkor 24-120mm| PS CC 21.0.1| Lexar Digital Film

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http://www.nsrm-friends.org/vtrr25.html

Wild Weds. 51/52 Elvis is in the HOUSE!

Copyright 2018 Deborah M. Zajac. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

I went back to my archives to find a Christmasy image to share this week because even though I’ve been taking photos this month none are really Christmasy- back in 2010 on my way out of town for a photo shoot a friend and I stopped downtown to catch a little bit of the Christmas Parade and who should strut by? Elvis!

I can’t remember which Christmas song he was singing. I wish I had made some notes.

Elvis Christmas Parade Downtown San Jose CA 2010

So, I went to YouTube to see if anyone had posted the parade and caught him crooning this number…well someone did post about him at the Parade!  Turns out he’s Rick Torres a popular Elvis impersonator here in the Bay Area and he won the 2010 Holiday Day Parade trophy that year! Man, I love YouTube!

 

Since Elvis wasn’t singing in that clip so here’s some Top Christmas Songs sung by Elvis to help us keep the spirit of the season Merry and Bright.

https://youtu.be/EWJV89a558c

 

From my house to yours, Wishing all of you that celebrate it a Rockin Merry Christmas!

Nikon D90| Nikkor 80-200mm| Lexar Digital Film| PS CC 2019

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Merry Christmas!

Copyright © 2017 Deborah M. Zajac. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

I just wanted to take a moment to say MERRY CHRISTMAS! to all of you who celebrate it. I hope your holiday is wonderful, and filled with love, and lots of laughter.

Having a little one in the house has given me an opportunity to watch a favorite Holiday movie.  Frosty the Snowman.  I enjoy this movie and song so much I had to add the ornament to tree.

So, what’s going on at my house besides watching the old Christmas animated movies?

I’ve shared with some of you about my tradition of putting my collection of stuffed bears, and animals around the tree as soon as the tree goes up in December.  Part of that tradition is that the bears and animals leave sometime before Christmas. They leave a note on the tree telling us that Santa really needed their help to get all the final things ready for his most important flight of the year.

I woke up yesterday morning and they were gone. The note was on the tree saying they’d gone to the North Pole to help Santa Claus and Elves make ready for Christmas.  They thanked us for understanding, and assured us they’d be home soon, and signed their note with lots of ♥ and paw prints. 🙂

#1 Grandson who just turned 5 this week is a bit concerned about their departure and is anxiously waiting for Santa and the Bears, and other animals to return. He is worried about the Bear Cookie Jar that went too. He’s worried it might get broken.  I hope it doesn’t, but I’m sure Santa can fix him if it were to get broken. 🙂

Big Baby Boy, and the Dark Haired Beauty flew in last night. We’re all excited to have them home for Christmas.  Dark Haired Beauty is the reigning 2016 champion of the game  Mexican Train a family favorite.  We’ll see if she can be unseated this year.

Baby Girl’s sofa, Coffee, and end tables arrived yesterday.  She’s very  relieved that we all won’t be sitting on the floor while she hosts her very first Christmas in her very first apartment.

Our new house has a renter. I’ve still got mixed feelings about that as I’d love to be living there; we can’t right now, but things are lining up.

While I haven’t been too chatty with my posts this year good things are happening here.  He-Man and I are beaming with joy, and feel very blessed for it’s been a really great year so far. (knocking on wood!) 🙂

I’ll be back next week with Wordless Wednesday, but will be on a wee break til then spending time with my children, and Grandson.

If you don’t celebrate Christmas I hope you find some delight in the Holiday joy, lights, decorations, and enjoy a day off. 🙂

MERRY CHRISTMAS! xx

Nikon Df| Nikkor 105mm| SanDisk Digital Film| PS CC 2018

more to come…