Christmas Tree Lane began after William "Billy" Winning died in a tragic accident at his family home on Van Ness Boulevard in June 1919 at age 14. In December 1920, his mother, Mae, decorated the deodur cedar in front of the home as a memorial to Billy, who had loved Christmas, at a time when few private homeowners could afford electric lights. In the following years, other neighbors also began decorating trees in front of their homes, and by the mid-1920's seventeen homes on Van Ness were decorated. By 1931, the practice had grown so much that the displays on Van Ness earned the nickname "Christmas Tree Lane." The decorating tradition continued to grow through the years, interrupted only in the weeks after the 1941 Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor because of security concerns, and again during the 1973 oil crises that followed the Yom Kippur War in the Middle East. Today, Christmas Tree Lane is managed by the Fig Garden Homeowners Association, which coordinates law enforcement agencies, civic groups, and private individuals for the celebration of lights. It attracts over 100,000 visitors each year, is supported by community donations, and is nationally renowned as one of the first and most impressive displays of its kind in the country, drawing visitors from the bay area and Southern California.