2011 MEMBERSHIP

It is time to show your support for the Castlewood—Oak Valley Neighborhood Association. A membership form is on the inside of the hard copy newsletter. You can print a membership form by clicking here. According to the by-laws, dues shall be payable at or before the second meeting of each calendar year.

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

It's that time of year again—time to join your neighbors and friends and share the joy of the holiday season. Our annual party is scheduled for Monday, December 13th at 7:00 pm. The Southwest Church of Christ will graciously host us in their cafeteria. The association will provide finger foods, deserts, and beverages. Additional holiday treats are always welcome, but it is your attendance that is most desired.

Election of officers and any necessary issues will be addressed in a short business meeting. According to the By-Laws, Vice President, Treasurer, and Delegate to NC are up for election this year.

This year we plan to highlight neighborhood history at the party. If you are an original or long-time COVNA home owner, please come and share stories about moving into the neighborhood and the early years. Please bring pictures of the old neighborhood if you have them. We hope this will provide an opportunity for newer members of the neighborhood to learn more about our past and to make connections between older and newer generations of COVNA home owners. Did you know that Priscilla Presley's half-brother used to live in COVNA? Who knows...you might learn something interesting about your house.

• 30-35 million real Christmas trees are sold in the U.S. every year.

• Christmas trees have been sold commercially in the US since about 1850.

• The first Christmas tree retail lot in the United States was started in 1851 in New York by Mark Carr.

• Until fairly recently, all Christmas trees came from the forest.

• In 2002 Oregon was the leading producer – 6.5 million.

• The best selling trees are Scotch pine, Douglas fir, Noble fir, Fraser fir, Virginia pine, balsam fir and white pine.

• More than 2,000 trees are usually planted per acre. On an average 1,000-1,500 of these trees will survive. Almost all trees require shearing to attain the Christmas tree shape. It takes 7-10 years to produce a mature tree.

• In the United States, there are around a half billion real Christmas trees growing on U.S. farms.

• 98 percent of all Christmas trees are grown on farms.

• Christmas trees are grown in all 50 states including Hawaii and Alaska.

• 100,000 people are employed in the Christmas tree industry.

• In 1856 Franklin Pierce, the 14th President of the United States, was the first President to place a Christmas tree in
the White House.

• President Coolidge started the National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony on the White House lawn in 1923.

• The first decorated Christmas tree was in Riga, Latvia in 1510.

• Using small candles to light a Christmas tree dates back to the middle of the 17th century.

• Thomas Edison’s assistant, Edward Johnson, came up with the idea of electric lights for Christmas trees in 1882.

• Christmas tree lights were first mass produced in 1890.

• In 2002, 21% of United States households had a real tree, 48% had an artificial tree and 32% had no tree.

• In 2007, 23% of real Christmas trees sold were from chain stores, 9% by non-profit groups, 12% from retail lots and 21% from choose and cut farms.

• In 2007 the retail market value of the 31.3 million trees purchased at the mean average purchase price of $41.50 was $1.3 billion.

• 93% of real Christmas tree consumers recycle their tree in community recycling programs, their garden or backyard.

• In the United States, there are more than 4,000 Christmas tree recycling programs.

In America, Christmas Trees were introduced into several pockets - the German Hessian Soldiers took their tree customs in the 18th century. In Texas, Cattle Barons from Britain took their customs in the 19th century, and the East Coast Society copied the English Court tree customs.

Settlers from all over Europe brought their customs in the 19th century. Decorations were not easy to find in the shanty towns of the West, and people began to make their own decorations. Tin was pierced to create lights and lanterns to hold candles which could shine through the holes. Decorations of all kinds were cut out, stitched and glued. The General Stores were hunting grounds for old magazines with pictures, rolls of Cotton Batting (Cotton Wool), and tinsel, which was occasionally sent from Germany or brought in from the Eastern States.