Tuesday, May 1, 2012

The Year of the Perfect Christmas Tree

The Year of the Perfect Christmas Tree 
By: Gloria Houston


(Historical Fiction)




Every year a family is chosen to choose the Christmas tree for Pine Grove Church.  They choose a tree in the spring and mark it.  Papa says they will chose a Balsam tree because it grows high near heaven.  On their grandfather’s mountain was their tree.  Ruthie was assigned to be a heavenly angel in the village play.  She marks the tree with her red ribbon from her hair.  During the summer Papa was called away to be a soldier.  Since he left there was no timber to make money off of.  Ruthie said a prayer.  In the fall they got a letter from Papa that he would be home for Christmas.  Papa didn’t come home with the other men, and it was the day before Christmas Eve, and they were practicing for the play.  Preacher said someone else could get the tree, but it was Ruthie’s family’s turn.  Late that night Mama took two kids to find the perfect Balsam tree.  They found the tree and cut it down with Papa’s ax.  She also made Ruthie a dress out of her wedding dress.  Church was over St. Nick said here’s one more gift=Papa.  Ended “Grandma Ruthie told me so…”



No comments:

Post a Comment