O Tannenbaum

Last December, Americans took about 33 million cut trees home to their living rooms for decorating. They made an environmental choice, says the National Christmas Tree Association (www.christree.org).

The reason? Ninety-eight percent of those evergreens were grown on tree farms, especially for cutting. Each acre of Christmas trees provides enough oxygen for 18 people. And for every tree that is cut, two to three seedlings are planted. Also, 59 percent of cut trees are recycled after Christmas.

The top-selling trees are balsam, Douglas, Fraser, and noble firs, followed by Scotch, Virginia, and white pines.

(c) Copyright 1999. The Christian Science Publishing Society