The Christmas tree that arrived at the House of Representatives chamber at the State Capitol this morning hails from a tree farm near Eisenhower State Park in North Texas, and it’s decorated with the 2021 Texas State Parks tree ornament.
The Texas State Parks Department has provided Christmas trees for the capitol for more than 40 years. The 20-foot Virginia Pine is named Mamie III, after former First Lady Mamie Geneva Eisenhower. (Who knew the trees were named?)
Visitors are allowed to take a glimpse. Take a close look while you’re there – the 2021 Texas State Park tree ornament hangs from one of its many branches. This year’s metal ornament features a longhorn from the official state longhorn herd at Lyndon B. Johnson State Park and Historic Site.
Texas State Parks has created a special ornament each year for 20 years. Each one features a different park.
You can buy the 2021 edition for $19.95 at the new Texas State Park Online Store. Shipping is free. (You can also purchase ornaments from previous years.) The store also sells magnets, hiking stick medallions, stickers, a bluebonnet-themed bookmark, state park zipper pulls, key rings, and more.
The best gift for your park-loving friends, though? A Texas State Parks Pass, which allows a carload of visitors into the park for free for a calendar year.