Angie and Grandma had a very busy day planned.  Grandma still had errands and shopping left to do, and then they were going to get the Christmas tree!

Angie was all excited as Grandma bundled her up to keep her warm from the cold, blustery wind.  The snow made a funny crunching noise under their feet as they went on their way, and Angie??™s cheeks got red and rosy from the brisk winter day.

There were people everywhere!  The malls were such a busy place - people still looking to find that last minute, perfect gift for someone - and the shops were so beautiful with all their pretty displays, and all around was the sound of wonderful holiday music!  Angie looked at the fairyland windows, and her eyes twinkled with the magic and excitement of the season.

As they left the shops, Grandma??™s arms full of bright packages, Angie was anxious to get to Grandma??™s house where it was nice and warm.  But they still had one last stop to make - to get the Christmas tree.  Grandma was getting tired now too, and she looked forward to getting the tree so they could go home!

Grandma had lots of thoughts as she drove to the Christmas tree lot - Angie was dozing in the front seat beside her, and Grandma??™s mind had time to wander back over Christmas trees of the past.  Grandma remembered lots of Christmas trees, far from the city where they were now - Grandma even remembered real candles on the Christmas tree at her Grandma??™s house!  Grandma would have to remember to tell Angie about that!!

Angie woke up just as Grandma was pulling into the Christmas tree lot.  Angie wasn??™t sure why people would put trees in their houses and decorate them, but she did think they were very pretty!  Then Angie saw all the trees - she thought it felt just like being in a forest!!

Angie held Grandma??™s hand tight as they went from row to row, searching for the perfect tree.  Grandma said some were too small, some were too big, some were too expensive, some were sprayed with colors that Grandma didn??™t like at all - and then, way at the back of the lot, was a big pile of trees just thrown aside.  Grandma had her eye on one, Angie could tell.  Grandma went to the pile and pulled a little tree away from all the others.  It was just the right size, all nice and green, but when Grandma looked closer, there was a large empty spot where a big branch had been broken off!  Now what will we do, Angie wondered - the perfect Christmas tree for Grandma??™s house, but one branch is missing!  Well, Grandma decided that even with one branch missing, it was the prettiest tree on the lot, so off they went, to pay for the tree so they could be on their way home at last.  But this tree was free - the man said no one would want it - that it was an ugly little tree with one branch missing!  But Grandma wouldn??™t change her mind, and Grandma knew that this little tree, the one that no one else wanted, would be a very special Christmas tree, indeed.

After a bowl of nice hot soup, Angie helped Grandma decorate the little Christmas tree.  Grandma turned it this way and that, trying to hide the missing branch, and when they were finished, the tree was so beautiful - all green and red and white - with lots of angels and a big star on the top, and lots and lots of lights!  Grandma lit the tree in the window for the rest of the world to see, and in her darkened room they looked - and not even they could see where that branch was missing!

Grandma told Angie that everything??™s not always as it seems - that some things are ignored and cast aside because they??™re not perfect, but that everything can always be special and beautiful to someone, much like people!  Angie thought that was a perfectly lovely thought!

The little tree stood there, so beautifully dressed with its lights all a-twinkle - and the little tree was very proud because, even though not perfect, it knew it had made two people very happy!!

Their hearts and souls warmed by the glow of the little tree, Angie crawled up on Grandma??™s lap, and Grandma read her the story of ???The Night Before Christmas.???  Pretty soon, they were both sound asleep, each one thinking that their little tree was the most beautiful and special Christmas tree ever!  And do you know what?  They were right!

(c) 2004

Ellie Ramirez