Christmas decoration bells. A bow is usually used at the top or bottom, and an electric or unlit candle may be placed in the middle. Christmas lights are often used, and they may be hung from door or windows, and sometimes walls, lampposts and light fixtures, or even statuary. Since the 19th century, the poinsettia, a native plant from Mexico, has been associated with Christmas. In North and South America, Australia, and Europe, it is traditional to decorate the outside of houses with lights and sometimes with illuminated sleighs, snowmen, and other Christmas figures. Municipalities often sponsor decorations as well. Christmas banners
Christmas tree production in Mexico of Mexico City, Puebla, Jalisco, and Guanajuato. Much of Mexico's demand for Christmas trees (around 1.8 million annually) is met through importation. In 2004 the United States enjoyed a 95 percent market share on tree imports. By 2009 the U.S. still exported nearly 1 million trees to Mexico each year, with a small amount coming from production in Canada. In 2004 many Mexican tree producers sold their crop directly from their production areas, though a few farmers utilized local retail markets. A 2004 USDA report on Mexican Christmas tree farming noted that the majority of Mexican produced Christmas trees were