MY LIFE AS A CHRISTMAS TREE



12/19/05


Today is a wonderful day. The sun is out and shining on my forest home. I am surrounded by my friends and family. I watch as a blue bird lands in its nest upon my mother’s head. We are pine trees, green and tall, masters of the forest. We are at peace with the world and all its inhabitants.

I am talking to my mother when I hear a strange sound, the sound of trees falling down. I watch in horror as I see my mother being pulled to the ground by humans. Now it’s my turn; I feel my roots start to shake, my trunk trembling, and then I am free of the Earth’s safe grasp. I am loaded up onto the humans’ truck and shipped out of the forest, the only home I have ever known. I am cold; even in my coat of pine needles the wind still makes me shiver. I pass by houses, cars, and light poles, things I have never known. I finally arrive at a lot full of trees I have never seen before. The humans take me off the top of the truck and place me with the rest of the trees. I feel insecure, but then I see my mother and feel safe again.

The humans open up the gate and people start running inside. A little girl runs over to me and tells her dad she wants to buy me. “Buy me?” I think, startled. Then I realize that to them, I am merely an object to be bought and thrown away. The man pays for me and I am loaded onto their car. When we get to their house and the man says, “home sweet home,” I can’t help thinking of the forest I shall never see again. The man goes in the house and calls to his son, Jake, to help carry me inside. Once inside they start taking little balls and candy canes out of boxes and putting them on me. The little girl named Rachel, being only three, asked what they were for. “To make the tree feel beautiful,” her dad explained. And when they were done I felt beautiful indeed.

Once again it’s a beautiful, sunny day. The sun’s light bounces off my decorations and reflects on the walls. In the night Mr. Falen, Rachel’s dad, placed presents under me. I feel very important guarding them. It’s now time to open the presents, and Jake is the first one. He grabs his present and rips it open. Inside is a Play Station, and Jake screams in pleasure. “Merry Christmas” says his dad. The noisy celebration carries on for a while, but soon all is quiet except for the breeze from the open window rustling my needles.

Christmas is over and my decorations are taken off. I become scared when Mr. Falen brings in the trash can. It seems that this family no longer cares for me. Mr. Falen, with the help of Jake, picks me up and plops me in the trash can. They take me outside and start digging a hole. I fear they will bury me, never to see the sun again. Then something amazing happens. They plant me in the ground, not to be buried, but to be cherished forever.

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