32 - North Shore News — Wednesday, December i, 1999

‘ Sr.

| Getting c

w ae

A

reative for Christmas |

THE ‘clay sculptures of Lorraine Villeneuve were among tre many handcrafted items for sale at Seymour Art

Gallery’ Cormucopia of Creative Gifts event lest weekend. Ambieside's Ferry Buliding ct 1414 Argyle Ave. has

‘anieane’ wares and fins art for sale in Great Stuff, Dec. 7 to 19. Moura are 17 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, closed Mondays.

Recycling program heips trees

. arkest.days..of winter.
. The green served to ward off
evil spirits and to remind peo-
‘ple that the green plants and
warmth : of: summer .wouid

< retura again.
Fhe: Christmas tree was
first introduced in Canada in

781 in Sorel, Quebec, by a .

German © immigrant, ‘ Baron

i¢derick von Riedesel. The-

aron’s tree was a Balsam fir
ut from: the dense forest near’
‘his home, and was decorated
with “white candles.. By: the
+ 1880s the Christmas tree cus-
tom: was widespread’ in
Canada, as German and
British pioneers settled in the
new country. . o
Froia celebration to soil

The life of a Christmas tree
eed not end after the festive
eason. Like all living things,
‘Christinas -trees.are full ‘of
aluable organic materiels

Greater Vancouver,
: needs a little. help. Christmas

such as carbon and nitrogen
that can benefit other plants
and animals.

“These important nutrients
are released back to the earth
through composting, the nat-
ural. recycling process by
which bacteria and organisms
break. down organic material.

ents of the Christmas trees are
returned. back to nature for
the benefit of other living
things.

So this holiday season be
sure to celebrate the extraor-

Inthe wild, compostingoccurs..” f

naturally as trees, leaves and
other living things fall to the
ground and rot. :

In an. urban: centre. like
nature

trees are gathered up for recy-

curbside collection programs.
In some municipalities the
trees are shredded or chipped
into tinv pieces and the result-
ing mulch is spread on flower
beds and trails in local parks.
In other locations the trees are
composted with other organic
materials. Through these
recycling programs the nutri-

MOUNTAINSIDE
LODGE ray

- VALUE SEASON SPECIAL

vatid mta. openiag tHe

c 22 from *99 double —

TV, whirl tub, pool, Jacuzzi; underground pay parking.
Located in Whistler Village..109 yards trom both gondola. |
oa - Xmas/iew years roorns available :

Reservations: 664-5643

‘cling through drop-off or. &

dinary life of your Christmas
tree, from its start as a small

seed, to its special place at the’
centre of your celebration, to ©
the soil it will enrich after

sccycling.

¥ ‘Holiday wreaths and baskets made by
the Friends of the Garden

%& Handcrafted fable ane tree ornaments
SE Unique solection of gifts

a?
Sy
3
q

Tree is fruit of life

From page &

They celebrated the winter solstice (the shortest day of the year)
because it meant that the sun god would begin to get well.
Evergreen boughs reminded them that green plants would
grow again in summer when the sun god was strong.
& The ancient Egyptians filled their homes with green palm
tushes to symbolize the triumph of life over death.
& In Northern Europe the priests of the ancient Celts — the
Druids — decorated their temples with evergreen boughs as a
symbol of everlasting life.
8 Early Romans marked the solstice with a feast in honour of
Saturn, the god of agriculture. They decorated homes and tem-
ples with evergreen boughs to celebrate the fact that farms and
orchards would again be green and fruitful.
® Christians first used evergreen trees as part of their Christmas
celebrations in Europe around the 14th century. At this time
“miracle plays” requiring apple tees as stage props were per-
formed each December 24. Evergreen trees ied with apples were
used since no fruit-full trees were available in winter. The idea of a -
decorated tree so amused people in Germany that families began
bringing trces into their homes and a new custom was born.
— Information provided by the Greater. Vancouver Regional
ct. :

GB BBr ss a> BBs SU

LO SALE

Curious Gifts for Curious Minds

on hundreds
of tems .

T Factory Outlet

Christmas
Clearance
 Sale_

- December 4 through December 11°
POWER TOOLS - LAWM & GARDEN