TALLAHASSEE, Fla.-- Christmas came to the Florida Capitol on Tuesday morning.
Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried continued the long-standing tradition of presenting the governor with a Florida-grown Christmas tree.
The Carolina Sapphire will now sit outside the lobby to the governor’s office through the holiday— collecting ornaments.
It came from a Tallahassee Christmas tree farm, one of the state’s more than 140.
Floridians harvest an estimated 16,000 trees each year from those farms.
Fried explained why this tree is so important to those growers. “It’s an opportunity to really promote our agriculture, Fresh from Florida. Not just in Christmas trees, but really to remind people as they’re planning holiday meals to make sure you’re buying Fresh from Florida produce.”
To ensure Hanukkah wasn’t forgotten— Fried also handed over a few Jewish ornaments for the tree.
Florida's Agriculture Commissioner is the first Jewish woman to sit on Florida’s Cabinet.
This morning @FLCaseyDeSantis, Madison, Mason and I joined Cabinet members @AGAshleyMoody, @JimmyPatronis and @NikkiFriedFL to commemorate the beginning of the holiday season with a Christmas tree lighting at the Florida Capitol. Happy holidays to all! pic.twitter.com/hhxmCX1sRU
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) December 3, 2019