Donating a Christmas tree to the White House is a huge honor. This year, Larry Snyder of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania was given the honor of traveling to the White House, where he met with our elegant, and gracious first lady, Melania Trump in front of their donated tree. As is tradition, their donated tree was pulled up the White House driveway on a wagon pulled by “Cash” and “Ben,” two lovely Clydesdale horses, where the First Lady greeted them, while the U.S. Marine Band played “O Christmas Tree.”

The photo below shows First Lady Melania being escorted down the front steps of the White House to the wagon carrying the nearly 20-foot tree that will be placed in the Blue Room of the White House.

AP photo

Penn Live covered the story of the 69-year-old Christmas tree farmer, Larry Snyder and his wife Joanne, who had the special honor of donating a tree from their “Mahantongo Valley Farm.” Snyder, who grows Christmas trees for a living, won’t receive any money for this one, perhaps the greatest he’s ever grown.

“This is purely volunteer, donated,” he said by cell phone while tinkering with an overheated tractor at his 150-acre operation about 55 miles northeast of Harrisburg.

It doesn’t bother him in the least. “It’s definitely an honor. It’s an opportunity most people will never have,” he said.

In September, Snyder told Penn Live that he and his family, including wife Joanne, their two children, and two grandchildren, will attend a White House ceremony and meet first lady Melania Trump. They’ll get a tour of the White House. Snyder said his understanding is that President Trump can’t put it on his agenda, but will attend if he can.

First Lady Melania Trump spent time talking to the men in top hats who drove the wagon with the tree up the White House driveway, before turning to allow the press to photograph her next to the wagon.

AP photo

After the traditional photoshoot of the First Lady was complete, Melania welcomed the Snyder family to stand with her for a group photo.

AP photo

Melania turned her back to the photographers as she greeted each member of the Snyder family with a handshake, reserving a ‘high five’ for the young fidgety grandson wearing a tie.

Snyder qualified for the honor by being named grand champion at a National Christmas Tree Association competition this summer. The Douglas fir that will decorate the White House is still growing. In fact, Snyder isn’t certain exactly which tree will end up at the White House.

Since 1966, 10 trees grown in Pennsylvania have been selected for the White House, according to Lancaster Farming.

First Lady Melania, the mother of a teenage son, clearly has a special place in her heart for children. Her “Be Best” anti-bullying campaign is centered around educating kids about the dangers of bullying others on social media. The first lady always seems to know how to put a smile on the face of the children she visits in the United States and around the world.

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