A Christmas tree from a Lehighton tree farm will once again grace the Capitol Rotunda in Harrisburg.

The 20-foot Douglas fir was donated by Crystal Spring Tree Farm.

It’s decorated with handmade ornaments from Pennsylvania older adults and preschoolers, and lit with nearly 1,000 LED lights.

A metal-fabricated star made by employees at the state Department of General Services is placed on top.

There are eight smaller trees placed in the capital complex.

Chris Botek, owner, of Crystal Spring Tree Farm, said this marks at least the 25th year the business has had the distinction.

“It doesn’t ever get old; I don’t take it for granted,” Botek said. “It’s awesome; the trees when you see them, they’re beautiful.”

Botek added, “We got a lot better over the years at getting them loaded and off the farm.”

“Those things, they’re man-killers; they’re just so heavy,” he said. “We harvest those trees; that tree’s tied up before we even cut it.

“That tree’s been in the field for pushing 20 years; it has taken up that space for that long, and you couldn’t put anything in that field because that tree’s been there.”

“It makes it a very difficult thing to manage to always try to have those big trees, because you’re tying up so much land. In the time it took me to grow those trees, I could have been well into my third rotation of normal size (7-to-8-feet tall) trees.”

Botek explained how the criteria works.

“At first, our PA (Christmas) Tree Growers Association was involved in this selection, and they would put out for a bid to all of the members of PA (Christmas) Tree Growers Association the list of trees that goes in to Harrisburg, the different offices, the lobbies,” he said. “In the past, it’s been in the 30s, and when the PA (Christmas) Tree Growers Association would put this out on bid and it only went to the members, they always wanted to get the entire order from one grower. Even back then, we were pretty much the only ones that had those 20-25 foot trees. We pretty much got the bid each year because we had (them).

“The way they select them now, they call me, give me the list and I fill the list. They don’t have to worry about the quality; they know when I send eight trees, they’re going to be to their specs, the height, and the quality that they’re looking for.”

Botek said that a lot of them are also looking for a narrower tree, and added it has pretty much been the routine that the order is delivered the Monday after Thanksgiving.

“Sometimes it’s a little bit of a treasure hunt for us to do it, but we do it; we’re used to it,” he said. “We’ve become pretty comfortable with one another that they don’t even have to come here.”

Botek said “the trees are beautiful,” and lauded the tree lighting ceremony, which took place Dec. 5.

“When you watch that tree lighting ceremony, I may have done this for 25 years, but those kids watching this, and the kids that are involved in the choirs and the presentation, this is their first time,” he said. “It might be repetitive to me, but to them this is their moment to shine; that’s what it comes down to, that’s what Christmas is about, it’s for the kids.

“It’s about being with your loved ones and your family. Every tree that we sell, whether it goes into the Rotunda or into a person’s living room, just think what they’re celebrating that they got from me. It’s a very rewarding occupation.”

However, that doesn’t mean there aren’t some very stressful times mixed in, Botek said.

“Schedules, weather, it becomes difficult; there’s not a whole lot of days out of the year that it’s perfect to work outside,” he said. “It’s (either) hot, cold, wet, snowing, but when it comes down to it, we’re putting that tree in a person’s home.”

Botek said they’ve put five trees in the Blue Room of the White House, and added they’re also a three-time National Champion Grower.

“We sit here now and our season’s winding down, and it’s a nicer time of the year for me because the people come and we’re not really crazy busy and we get to talk to people,” he said. “There’s weekends here when you don’t even get to talk.”

Botek noted the business has been at its present site since 1964.

“My parents started this place here, but we’ve been selling trees from our (former) grocery store in Lansford in the 1940s,” he said. “There’s a lot of history.”