The 1998 Capitol Christmas Tree arrived at the Capitol on November 30. It was a 50-foot Fraser Fir from the Pisgah National Forest in western North Carolina.

Capitol Grounds staff decorated the tree with 4,000 ornaments, which were hand- made by North Carolina school children, and over 10,000 blue, clear, and amber electric lights. The lighting ceremony took place on December 8th at 5:00 p.m. and featured greetings from the Architect of the Capitol, the North Carolina delegation, and other dignitaries. The program also included musical performances by the Congressional Chorus, a premiere military service band, and the New Day Singers from Asheville, North Carolina. Speaker of the House Gingrich lit the tree at approximately 5:30 p.m.

The tree was lit each evening through January 2, 1999, from 5:00 p.m. until midnight.