Christmas century, Saint Nicholas was well known in the Netherlands, and the practice of gift-giving in his name spread to other parts of central and southern Europe. At the Reformation in 16th–17th-century Europe, many Protestants changed the gift bringer to the Christ Child or "Christkindl", corrupted in English to Kris Kringle, and the date of giving gifts changed from December 6 to Christmas Eve. The modern popular image of Santa Claus, however, was created in the United States, and in particular in New York. The transformation was accomplished with the aid of notable contributors including Washington Irving and the German-American cartoonist
American Christmas Tree Association Tree Association is based in West Hollywood, California. American Christmas Tree Association The American Christmas Tree Association is an American, non-profit organization and industry trade group that represents those involved in the artificial Christmas tree industry. The president of the group is Thomas Harman, who is also the president and CEO of Balsam Hill, a seller of artificial trees. In November 2008, the association launched a new website, which, according to the association, was meant to, "promote accurate and factual consumer information and provide consumers with the tools they need to make an educated choice about the right tree for