Identification

• The National Christmas Tree Association exists to promote the use of real Christmas trees by conducting consumer research and by providing marketing expertise to people who grow and sell them. In order to protect and help businesses that depend on Christmas trees to thrive, the association lobbies against legislation that could harm this industry. Members of the association also receive professional development, newsletters and other benefits like worker's compensation insurance.
  
  

Size

• There are more than 5,000 members of the National Christmas Tree Association. They affiliate through their state associations. Statistics about the association, its membership, press releases and a section that answers frequently asked questions are available on the website.
  
  

Function

• The website also has a lot of information to help people who want to purchase a real Christmas tree. There are facts about Christmas trees and a list of where in your state to buy them. Caring, recycling and safety tips for real Christmas trees are also provided on the website. Teachers can even download free curriculum about the trees. For people who are concerned for the impact of real Christmas trees on the environment, there is a section devoted to both sides of this debate on the website as well.
  
  

Features

• When you visit the National Christmas Tree Association online, you will find some clever and amusing activities. The home page contains a countdown of the days left until Christmas. You can click on a link to the White House Christmas tree, read the history of Christmas trees and download Christmas tree clip art. If you like playing games on your computer, there is one called the "Attack of the Mutant Artificial Trees." To play, you must install Shockwave Player 11.0 by Adobe Systems, Inc.
  
  

Benefits

• Like most nonprofit organizations, the National Christmas Tree Association collects donations via the website. The money is used to give free real Christmas trees to thousands of military families in cooperation with the FedEx Corporation and the Christmas Spirit Foundation.