Chamber Unveils 2008 Christmas Ornament

By Joel Frady

A steady stream of people visited the Ashe County Chamber of Commerce on Saturday morning to purchase

the recently released 2008 Christmas ornament. Designed by Bessie Mallary Clay, the ornament is the 16th in an annual series highlighting the history and heritage of the county in decorative form.

Clay said that she was approached by the chamber in the 1990s and asked to design the first ornament, which featured the historic courthouse in Jefferson, and has designed all 16 ornaments. She noted that the feedback from the community is considered each year when the design is being selected.

The 2008 ornament celebrates the local Christmas tree industry, as Ashe County farms have supplied the 2007 and 2008 White House Christmas trees and has supplied more White House trees than any other county in the United States. In addition to a tree farm, the ornament also features a red barn with a barn quilt on it.

"This one is perfect because it's celebrating the Christmas tree industry," said Cabot Hamilton, executive director of the Ashe County Chamber.

For Clay, it was the chance to visit unexplored artistic territory.

"Every artist that drives through the county probably would like to do red barns, and that's something that's always appealed to me," she said. "I can't say that I've done a whole lot of that sort of thing, but it's always something I've wanted to do. In a way, this year's ornament was giving me the opportunity to do something I wanted to do." She said that her favorite three ornaments featured the courthouse, the Blue Ridge Parkway and the Virginia Creeper.

Clay said that the support of the community has kept the project fun over the years.

"Our communtiy has kept us going," she said. "The people that have bought the ornaments keep us going, along with the feedback we've gotten from them. We always start a new one in the beginning of the season, and people are always asking about the next one."

Hamilton said that they produced 350 copies of the 2008 ornament, which acts as a Chamber fund-raiser. The ornament is usually out in time for the Christmas in July festival, but was not ready until Thanksgiving this year (they hope to have the 2009 ornament ready by this summer).

He noted that local collectors have helped the tradition continue.

"There are people in the county that have all of them - they collect them," he said. "There's some people, for instance, that specifically want a number (like 14 of 300) because all the ones they got before were that number."

He also said that the series of ornaments "celebrates the history of Ashe County over 16 years. We have hospitals, churches, art councils. Many different groups or companies have been honored through this ornament."

The 2008 Ashe County Christmas Ornament sells for $11, and the chamber still sells some of the previous ornaments as well. To find out more, visit the chamber at 303 East Second Street in West Jefferson or call (336) 846-9550.