This year's Governor's Mansion Christmas trees will arrive 7-8 a.m. Monday; a portion of Madison Street will be closed for the delivery.
The tree, which will be displayed on the Mansion lawn, is a 40-foot Norway spruce donated by Mike and Linda Knudson, of Lebanon. Mansion officials said the tree was planted 25 years ago to mark the birth of the Knudson's son and had grown too big for the space. There will also be six trees throughout the inside of the Mansion, and all of them are coming from Pea Ridge Farm in Hermann.
A new addition to this year's festivities is a working wooden train wrapping around the 40-foot Norway spruce. A live nativity scene performed by Concord Baptist Church will be on site as well.
The annual lighting of the tree will take place at 6 p.m. Nov. 30. Candlelight tours of the mansion will immediately follow. Doors will be open until 9 p.m. and again noon-3 p.m. Dec. 1. Each day, student choirs and bands throughout Missouri will provide music during the tours.
The Sparta High School band will perform outside on the front steps during the lighting ceremony (6-6:20 p.m.). Other choirs performing inside the Mansion on Nov. 30, include: School of the Osage (6:20-6:45 p.m.), Bolivar High School (6:50-7:15 p.m.), Rolla High School (7:20-7:50 p.m.) and Waynesville High School (7:55-8:25 p.m.).
On Saturday, Dec. 1, choirs performing inside the Mansion include: Boys and Girls Club of Jefferson City (noon-12:25 p.m.), Jefferson City High School (12:30-12:55 p.m.) and Helias Catholic High School (1-1:25 p.m.).
During the tours, visitors will be able to view the decorations throughout the ground floor of the Mansion. Friends of the Governor's Mansion docents will be available to answer questions about the historic house.
For the candlelight tours, visitors will enter the Mansion through the Madison Street gate.