The Artificial Christmas Tree

The Christmas Tree

         Dan and Linda were married for thirty years when they decided to make the change. They bought a brand new Christmas tree. Over those thirty years they spent Christmas seasons scattered across Texas and Oklahoma. Through the variety of places and situations one thing remained constant: their Christmas tree. It was not just "a" Christmas tree; it was, in fact, "the" Christmas tree. They had decorated the same Christmas tree for thirty years.

         They were mere children when they were married. Soon after their marriage Dan and his teen bride left the little Oklahoma rural town where together they attended school, dated, and said their vows. They moved to the big city, like the grown-ups, to live their new life together in married bliss.

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         An early snow was falling on a Saturday morning in November. Dan watched the flakes melt against the window as Linda prepared breakfast for them on that cold day. The previous night they had walked through the discount store looking at the wonderful gifts on sale. They bought nothing, for they had no money to spend on gifts. Everything Dan earned was spent on rent, utilities, bills and groceries. As they wandered through the store they laughed and dreamed about the things that they would someday purchase. They had each other, and the marvelous spirit of Christmas was not to be diminished one little bit by their lack of funds. However, the display of Christmas trees was particularly impressive and remained in Dan’s mind overnight.

          “Linda,” Dan spoke with his gaze still fixed to the window pane, “those Christmas trees were really something. They looked so real.”

          “Yes, they were very pretty. I remember the year mom and dad had a tree like the big one that we saw. Daddy brought it home late in December. It was lovely when we had all the decorations on it. I’ll remember it forever. Someday I hope we can afford to get a tree like that.”

          “The salesperson said the tree was seven feet tall.” Dan continued. “I’ve never had one like that. You know Christmas is special. We should really consider getting a tree like that.”

          “But Danny, that tree costs thirty dollars. We could never spend that much on an artificial tree. We just don’t have that kind of money.”

          “Oh, I know. It’s just that it seems important to me that we buy it. It will be our first Christmas tree. We haven’t spent money on anything else since we’ve been married except for groceries and bills. It will be something that we can give to ourselves now and to our kids later on when we have them. After all, this is our first Christmas.”

          “Our parents will think we are foolish kids.” Linda smiled at Dan as she stated the obvious. “And I suppose we are. We could use it several years and save money that way. It really would make Christmas special.”

          “Then we will do it. We’ll get the tree and some decorations to go with it. We will go tonight and get the seven-foot artificial green Christmas tree.” Dan walked to Linda and slid his arms around her waist. “It will be our first Christmas tree, one that we will remember forever.”

         And so it was that one of their first capital expenditures, as a young couple, was to purchase a Christmas tree. They spent the outrageous sum of thirty dollars and bought a new fangled, artificial, green Christmas tree. It was seven feet tall and much too extravagant a tree for a young teen couple who lived in a three-room garage apartment. But my, it was so life-like.

         Linda was sitting on the couch in the living room in front of the newly decorated tree. Dan stood by the light switch. He turned the lights off. The flashing multi-colored lights on the tree flooded the room, reflecting off of the tinsel and decorations hanging on the tree. The sight took his breath away. Dan walked to the couch and sat next to Linda. She leaned against him, not taking her eyes off of the Christmas tree.

          “My goodness,” Dan whispered, “that is the loveliest thing that I think I’ve ever seen.” A tear crept to his eye as he blinked it away.

          “Oh yes, it is beautiful. I’m glad we bought the tree, Danny. I don’t think I’ll ever see anything as beautiful as this Christmas tree.”

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         So, true to their intent, they assembled the tree Christmas after Christmas. The original box was the first thing to go. It wore out after the first few Christmases. It was replaced several times, usually being the box of some large purchase item. The individual branches, which were color-coded at the base where they fit into the "trunk", soon began to lose their color code. After about ten years they simply began guessing at where the branches fit into the "trunk". Remarkably, each Christmas, that artificial green Christmas tree still took their breath away when the house lights were turned off and the strung lights were left to twinkle in the dark.

         Obviously, being artificial, the tree never grew through the years, however their children did. At first they were infants who simply stared at the tree, being mesmerized by the twinkle of the light. They grew into toddlers, who stepped on the branches, bending them. Then they grew into little boys, who loved to cram the branches into the trunk helter skelter. As teenagers they were forcibly made to participate in the ceremony of assembling the tree.

          “Dad, do I have to stay and put that ratty old tree together?” Noel furrowed his brow knowing what the answer was before he asked the question.

          “Dad, if Noel gets to leave, then I ought to be able to go too. After all, you and mom can put that thing together with your eyes closed. You don’t really need us.” Chad added in support to Noel’s plea.

          “Forget it, Chad,” Noel spoke to his younger brother, “Dad’s convinced that we’ve gotta do this as a family thing.”

          “Listen, you two,” Dan began with his best non-threatening voice, “you’re right. This is a family thing. Your mom and I look forward to putting the tree together with you every Christmas. Now, I don’t want you to hurt your mom’s feelings by skipping out on us.”

         Linda’s eyebrow rose at that remark. “Hurt my feelings?” she thought to herself and smiled. “Dan is the softie of all softies. He’ll be crushed if we don’t all involve ourselves with trying to figure out where those branches fit and how to decorate the tree.”

         The remainder of the evening consisted of sorting, assembling and decorating the artificial green Christmas tree purchased sixteen years earlier. At the conclusion of the evening, Dan stood by the light switch. When everyone was ready he turned off the lights. Twinkling in the darkness, the tree folded the emotions of the years around each of their hearts. Dan walked to Linda’s side, where he had spent all the Christmases of their married life. Now that their task was finished the boys were permitted to leave. But they did not. They stood with smiles on their faces and a hint of a tear in the corner of their eyes and watched the lights dance in the darkness.

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         Through good years as well as bad, Christmas always included the constant and familiar task of assembling the tree – the tree on which that young teen couple spent a whole thirty dollars so many years before. They experienced a lot of change over those thirty years. Dan makes a lot more money than he did then. They no longer live in a garage apartment; but rather have moved into a big two story house that has a family room with an eighteen-foot ceiling, which is much too much ceiling for a simple little seven-foot artificial green Christmas tree. Their original investment of thirty dollars has translated into a total expenditure of less than one dollar per year. Not a bad investment for a young teen couple.

         But the story continues. Last year, after Christmas, Dan and Linda bought a new tree. It was bigger--almost eleven-feet tall with the angel topper sitting on top. It looked more real. It even felt real. And it definitely cost a great deal more. The new tree was simply a gorgeous tree. It was intended to replace the old tree.

         Dan and Linda were excited about putting up the new tree. They bought new ornaments, which were much prettier and more expensive than the ones used on the old tree. The new tree was destined to occupy the position of prominence in their new house. They expected that folks would fuss over it and say, "My, that’s quite a tree." They planned on placing the presents under the new tree. It was to be the focus of everyone’s attention. But it could never stir the emotions of Dan and Linda’s hearts, not like the old tree--not yet.

          “Linda, what will we do with that old tree? The branches are bent. The color-coding is long faded. It is woefully out of date. What shall we do with the old thing?” Dan quizzed Linda.

          “Maybe we can give it away." Linda began cautiously, "Perhaps there is someone who can use it. We can even put it in the garage sale that we will have this spring. But, I don’t suppose you would want to keep it for any reason, would you?”

          “I know how you feel. It seems a little strange to just send it out of our lives in a garage sale. For thirty years that old artificial green Christmas tree has shared our Christmases. It is the one thing that has been there during every Christmas of our marriage. No matter how tattered it gets, it just doesn’t feel right to not put it together this Christmas.”

          “Dan,” Linda pleaded softly, “we can’t get rid of that tree. It is a part of us. We have to keep it. But we also can’t just leave it in the box. What are we going to do?”

         Dan smiled, “I’ve got an idea.”

         Thanksgiving was a glorious time that year. Noel and Chad and their families filled the big house with laughter and joy. Grandchildren scurried through the house and jostled up and down the stairs. Eventually, everyone gathered around the big dining room table, where the children overflowed to the small table in the same room. After everyone had eaten their fill of turkey, dressing, buttered yams, and generous portions of pecan pie, Dan stood to make an announcement.

          “Attention, everyone, I have something to say.” Dan spoke with every eye on him. “Tonight we will begin a new tradition in this family. It will be a new ‘family thing.’”

         Dan caught the glance and smile exchanged between Noel and Chad, who had began to have family things with their own children now.

         Dan continued, “Tonight we will gather together and decorate the ‘grandkid’s tree.’ As you all know, Linda and I have a brand new tree that we will be assembling in the living room. But we have decided to keep our old tree and assemble it in the upstairs game room, next to the window that opens to the street. Every Thanksgiving, we will let our grandchildren assemble this tree. We will open our curtains and let the world see it. It is our simple little gift to be shared with our grandchildren and the world.”

         Smiles spread on the faces of the adults. The children scampered from the table and straight to the upstairs game room to find the waiting ancient boxed Christmas tree. The remainder of the evening was spent sorting branches, forcing old branches into the lackless coded trunk, and decorating the tree with the old ornaments and lights. When the lights were turned off everyone smiled and nodded in agreement with the rightness of what they had just accomplished. Eventually everybody went home.

         Later that evening, Linda noticed Dan slip upstairs. The lights were out and she could see the changing multi-colored lights reflect off of the upstairs ceiling. She shortly climbed the stairs and walked into the room. She found Dan sitting on the couch, silently taking in the beauty of the old Christmas tree. She found her place next to him, leaned against him, and watched the lights as they twinkled in the darkness—again.

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(After many nice comments, I have included a link to a photo of the two trees. Imagine them in the darkness.)