Wednesday, December 4, 2002

Georgia tree farms busier than ever

500,000 expected to shop for Christmas trees in Georgia this holiday season

From Thanksgiving Day through mid-December, Georgians will flock to the Christmas tree farms to choose and cut their own trees. This year, with more uncertainty facing our country, many families will stay home for the holidays to gather with family and friends and to find peace in the traditions of the season.

Going out to a farm to find the "perfect" tree is one of the most cherished of those traditions. The Georgia Christmas Tree Association expects close to 500,000 visitors at area farms in 2002.

The Leyland Cypress is predicted to be the favorite of most Georgia families again this year. A beautiful, drought-resistant tree with featherlike branches, the Leyland Cypress does not shed its needles and stays fresh much longer than most other varieties. The tree is also non-allergenic.

To find the farms, hours of operation, varieties of trees, children's activities, etc., you can visit www.gachristmastree.com 24 hours a day. It is also a good idea to call the farm before you go to verify hours, species and other important information.

The use of evergreens as a symbol and celebration of life during Winter Solstice celebrations started in ancient Rome and Egyptian times. This practice evolved over the centuries to be incorporated in the celebration of Christmas in the Germanic areas of Europe.

The first recorded display of a decorated Christmas tree was in 1510, in Riga, Latvia. Christmas trees were decorated with fruit, cookies and candy that would later be shared among family members as gifts after the holiday season was over.

By the 1700s, the tradition of celebrating the holidays with a Christmas tree was widely practiced throughout Europe. Decorations included lace, ribbon, tin, food items and lit candles. The tradition was brought to the United States by Hessian mercenaries during the Revolutionary War. In 1804, U.S. soldiers stationed at Fort Dearborn in Chicago used evergreen trees in their barracks to celebrate Christmas. The popularity of the Christmas tree then proliferated.

Today, it's more popular than ever.

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