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Governor And First Partner Lighting California Christmas Tree December 5

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) - The California Capitol Christmas Tree will officially be lit on Thursday, December 5th, with Governor Gavin Newsom, First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom, and 10-year-old Nayeli Lemus of Gilroy flipping the switch. The Paradise Ridge Elementary School choir, called the Paradise Strong Chorus, will be one of more than a dozen diverse performers entertaining the crowd.

The 66-foot-tall white fir will be decorated with 10,000 ultra-low wattage LED lights and will feature more than 500 ornaments handmade by adults and children with intellectual and developmental disabilities, along with 300 traditional ornaments.

SEE: 2019 Christmas Tree Lightings, Parades, And Holiday Events In The Sacramento Region

The 10-year-old selected to help the First Family light the tree was picked by the California Department of Developmental Services. Nayeli Lemus is a 4th grader at the Charter School of Morgan Hill and represents more than 340,000 Californians with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

The Sacramento Children's Home and California Volunteers will also have a Giving Tree at the free event. Attendees can select a Wish Star and provide gifts to children living at the Home.

The official state tree is actually the second harvested from the LaTour Demonstration State Forest in Shasta County. The first cracked and couldn't be displayed. The second has come under criticism for being too sparse.

The 88th Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony starts at 5 pm.

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