Gov. Easley Accepts Holiday Decorations for State Capitol

Raleigh- Gov. Mike Easley today accepted, on behalf of the state, an assortment of Christmas trees and holiday wreaths from the 2007 North Carolina Christmas Tree Association Grand Champions.  Each year, the association donates trees and wreaths to decorate the state Capitol during the holiday season.

“Millions of Americans will choose North Carolina Christmas trees as they celebrate this holiday season,” said Easley.  “I am pleased to display the beauty of our state’s natural resources at the state Capitol and I am especially proud to share them with the rest of the nation.”

North Carolina leads the nation in the farm sales of Christmas trees, $134 million, and is second in the number of trees harvested, more than 4.5 million annually.  The North Carolina Fraser Fir is the most popular Christmas tree in North America and is shipped to every state as well as the Caribbean Islands, Mexico, Canada, Bermuda, Japan and other points around the world.  The state is home to about 1,600 Christmas tree growers.

Jessie Davis and Rusty Estes, owners of River Ridge Tree Farms in Ashe County, were named the 2007 Grand Champion Fraser Fir Growers by the state Christmas Tree Association.  A 12-food tree they donated will be decorated by volunteers from the Junior Woman’s Club of Raleigh and placed in the state Capitol rotunda.  The tree will feature ornaments from all of the state’s 100 counties.  Tommy and Carol Wagoner of Fraser Knoll Farm in Ashe County were named the 2007 Grand Champion Wreath Makers by the state Christmas Tree Association.  Their wreaths will adorn the doors of the state Capitol.

Both the 2007 N.C. Christmas Tree Association Grand Champions will represent the state at the National Christmas Tree Association’s Tree Contest in Des Moines, Iowa in August 2008.  The winner of the contest will provide the official White House Christmas tree.  Joe and Linda Freeman, who presented the state Capitol Christmas trees to Easley in 2005, won the national contest in 2006 and yesterday presented one of their trees to First Lady Laura Bush for the White House Blue Room.

The theme for this year’s decorations at the state Capitol is “Celebrations in North Carolina.”  The decorations will be on display for the public beginning Sunday, Dec. 2.  The Capitol will also host holiday open houses featuring local performing groups from Thursday, Dec. 6, through Sunday, Dec. 9.  Hours are: Thursday through Friday 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; and Sunday 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.  Contact the state Capitol at 919-733-4994 for more information about self-guided tours.