by L. M. Townsend-Crow
Copyright © 2004 / 2007 L.M. Townsend-Crow
All Rights Reserved
little branches of the tiny tree. The wind blew through her taller cousins, the spruces and the pines and
the redwoods and cypress and cedar which remained after the yearly harvest for Christmas trees and
Yule logs. The little tree had been overlooked again because her branches were so bare and too thin to
hold up any ornaments. She was only a seedling, after all.
"Maybe next year," the little tree sighed, then shivered in the fresh gust of winter wind which blew a
another fine dusting of snow over her.
It was so very cold, the other, older trees took pity on the little fir. The pines which stood closest to their
young cousin felt the icy wind blowing and shook their branches just a little harder than was warranted.
Their needles fell, blanketing the little fir just a little against the frigid air. The little tree stood just a wee
bit taller, held up by the borrowed pine needles and the love and kindness that warmed her even more
than the "coat" given her by the pines.
Then something even more wonderful happened. The night sky brightened, as if the moon had come out
from behind a cloud, but it was a moonless night that year when the trees heard the crunching of boots
through the pristine snow. A bit of red velvet trimmed with white fur peeked through the leafless trees
which surrounded the evergreens. The little tree caught a scent like apples and cinnamon one moment,
peppermint and cocoa the next and then gingerbread mingled with pine of the needles gathered over her
in a blanket of love. She saw a kindly-looking gentleman with twinkly eyes and a great white beard.
The man stopped in front of the little tree and frowned.
"Oh, no this won't do," he said, rubbing his chin and winking. "Mrs. Claus told me she planted a very
special tree in this forest - right about here - a fir tree, but all I see are pine trees and spruces and
redwoods."
The pines who had so kindly shared the warmth of their needles with the little fir shook again, though
there was now no wind; it seemed as if this gentleman had stilled the winds. Even the air seemed a trifle
warmer, though his breath still puffed out white in front of him when he spoke. More needles fell in a
tinkling like little silver bells all around the little tree.
"Oho!" said the jolly gentleman with a deep warm, chuckle. "What do we have here?"
He took a deep breath and blew the pine needles away from the little fir tree. His breath was a like warm
spring breeze and the little tree wasn't cold anymore. She stood just a trifle taller and straighter before
the gentleman with the red coat and white whiskers, for she knew now that this was Santa Claus. She
had heard of this magical person, but she never dreamed she'd ever actually meet him. Her breath
caught and she trembled a little, but not from the cold now.
"There you go - now you're ready for a bit of holiday cheer," he said, kindly.
He whistled and the little fir heard sleigh bells jingling overhead. Suddenly, all about the little tree landed
brown-furred reindeer. Their coats were thick and soft for the winter and they shook the snow from
their antlers. On their backs were seated smaller people which the tree recognised as the elves who
resided in the forest. They were seated atop bundles which were strapped to the deer. The elves hopped
down from the backs of the reindeer and unpacked the bundles. First, there were the homemade quilts,
which they wrapped around the trunks of all the spruces and the pines and the redwoods and cypress
and cedars. The white-whiskered gentleman attended to the little fir himself.
"You see," Santa explained to the tree. "There are Solstice gifts and Yule trees for all of our little
brothers and sisters, too."
He and the elves spread peanut butter and suet over the pine's cones. The cones glistened in the starlight
like little lights. Strings of berries and nuts and popcorn were wound in spirals around all of the trees.
From the taller, stronger trees, the elves hung little cups of seeds and nectar and little ginger cookies, cut
in the shapes of stars and moons and suns and flowers, hearkening back the sun of Spring.
When their work was done, the elves hopped back up on the reindeer, which leaped up into the air and
flew off with a jingling of bells. Santa looked about at the forest one last time, then winked at the little fir.
"See you next year!" he called as he mounted the one waiting reindeer. He waved good-bye.
The little tree was so warm and happy inside, she stood proudly in the forest and watched as the night
sky turned lighter and the sun rose. Then there was a chattering and chirping as all the creatures of the
forest emerged and began to share the treats left by Santa and the elves and reindeer. The magical food
left by the most magical man in the world would hold them for the remaining weeks left of Winter.
The magic that always seems so abundant at this time of year sparkled through the forest; that magic
which is made by all the love that people share with one another at this time of year even more than any
other time. May the love and compassion of the season hold us all throughout the year like the magical
food left by Santa holds the creatures of the forest.
Or we could always try just loving one another throughout the year as much as we do as Solstice.
