But when Ms. Figueroa’s 72-foot Norway spruce is lit at Rockefeller Center in Manhattan tonight, it will join Mr. Smith’s 19-foot Fraser fir, now adorning the Blue Room in the White House, among the nation’s celebrated evergreens.

Mr. Smith, speaking over the roar of his tractor, said the tree that White House scouts chose from his farm was one he hadn’t bothered to trim in the last couple of years. (They liked the natural look.)

Last year, Ms. Figueroa and her wife, Lissette Gutierrez, bought a home north of New York City. It came with a tree that the Rockefeller Center scouts already had an eye on.

“I can’t take any credit,” she said of the tree’s success.

That’s it for this briefing. Please share your thoughts on the new format. See you next time. — Chris

Thank you

To Eleanor Stanford for her cultural recommendations, and Kenneth R. Rosen for his Smarter Living tips. Azi Paybarah, our New York Today columnist, wrote today’s Back Story. You can reach the team at briefing+redesign@nytimes.com.

P.S.

• We’re listening to “The Daily.” Today’s episode is on Paul Manafort and the special counsel investigation.

• Here’s a clue from today’s mini crossword: Alma mater of four current Supreme Court justices (4 letters).

• To make this redesign happen, we spoke to more than 15,000 readers through surveys, in-person interviews and video journals.