Texas House of Representatives

Claudette McNew, President of the Texas Christmas Tree Growers Association (TCTGA), was given a holiday welcome to the Capitol on December 2 by Julie Straus (wife of House Speaker Joe Straus) and Patsy Spaw (Secretary of the Texas Senate) as she and her family delivered the official 2013 Capitol Christmas trees to the south steps of the Texas State Capitol.

Claudette and Daniel McNew, owners of the McNew Star M Christmas Tree Plantation in Hunt County, Texas, delivered three 7 ft. Virginia Pines and then traveled by horse drawn carriage provided by Elaine Glass of Die Gelbe Rose Carriage to the south steps of the Capitol. The trees were then delivered to the House, Senate, and the Office of the Governor. The House tree from McNew Star M Christmas Tree Plantation will be used as the Holiday Wishes tree again this year. The Texas House of Representatives joins with the Partnerships for Children program to help our Capitol community respond with exceeding generosity, donating gifts to meet the Holiday Wishes for Austin-area children in the foster care system.

Mike Walterscheidt of TCTGA also delivered trees to the Capitol from Elgin, including a pair of 10/12-foot Fraser Firs for the House and Senate to be placed in the back hall behind the House and Senate Chambers. And additionally, Marshall Cathey of Elves Farm supplied a 20-foot Virginia Pine for the House Chamber that was delivered and installed with assistance from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the State Preservation Board.