A Christmas Tree's Journey

It was a typical December day in Lancaster with steel gray skies, penetrating cold, and a sifting of powdery snowflakes. The family rolled out of the car as we arrived at the spot where a friend from church said we could select and cut down a fir tree from his lot for our Christmas tree. With chainsaw in hand we walked through the snow keeping a sharp eye out for a tree that would please the majority – a unanimous decision was unlikely with two elementary children, a discerning Mom, and a “bigger-is-better” Dad. Finally we spied a likely candidate. Since the trees were on a steep slope, the tree was not the straightest. However, the majority did agree it was a good candidate to be in our house. I imagined it adorned with a variety of decorations ranging from ornaments from my childhood to a collection of handmade creations fashioned over a number of years by our elementary children. With a pull on the chain saw cord, the engine fired to life and easily felled the tree. We loaded it into the car and headed home.
     The tree sat in the garage for a day to defrost and get ready for the tree stand. It was then I realized the tree was really crooked and would require guide wires to keep it standing. The tree was brought in the house, placed in a corner, anchored with fishing line, and duly decorated. In the decorating process we discovered an abandoned bird’s nest which later became for many years a decoration for subsequent Christmas trees. The tree looked magnificent and we were proud to display it for a special guest who was coming the following night. That night our daughter’s school teacher was coming for desert. Our daughter was in a new school and we wanted to get to know her teacher and honestly hoped to make a good impression.
     My wife put out our Irish tea set, prepared delicious goodies, and put on Christmas music. Glancing over the living room just before the teacher’s arrival I was admiring how good the Christmas tree looked in the darkened room with only the illumination of the lights from the tree. Finally the teacher arrived and we sat down in the dining room to enjoy delicious refreshments and hopefully make a good impression on this new teacher.
     Part way through the gathering a crash sounded from the living room. Jumping up from the table and making a dash for the living room, I was horrified to see that the Christmas tree had fallen over. Ornaments were scattered over the floor. The illuminated star, once on the top of the tree, was dangling from the tree now lying sideways on the floor. Everyone followed me into the room and stood there in silence. I remember saying to myself, “Well, I bet we left an impression on that teacher!”
     Later the tree was uprighted, extra fishing line was attached to secure the crooked tree, and we had a lot of good laughs the rest of the Christmas holidays telling about our wayward tree. After New Year’s we took the tree out to the edge of the lawn and decorated the tree with a variety of treats for the birds to enjoy throughout the winter. Each day we saw that the tree had become a haven for our feathered friends.
     As spring approached an idea came to mind to make the tree into a visual to show the connection of Christmas to Easter. I cut off all the branches and then cut off the top third of the tree’s trunk. I took a nail and some wire and made the Christmas tree into an Easter tree. I reminded our children that Christmas is just half the story. Jesus came to earth not just as a baby at Christmas but to fulfill a great mission. He came to grow up, live a perfect life, and become what John the Baptist announced, “The Lamb of God that would take away the sins of the world” (John 1:29). I told my children they needed to see Christmas as the time when Jesus was born among lambs in a manger so that years later at Easter he could be the Lamb that the world desperately needed. That was why I turned the Christmas tree into an Easter cross. Both events fit together, were equally important, and told the whole story of Jesus’ life.
     How sad that people too often forget the connection between Jesus’ arrival and his final accomplishment. Many of the Christmas carols make the connection. In the popular “Hark the Herald Angels Sing” Felix Mendelssohn wrote:
          Hail the heav'n-born Prince of Peace!
          Hail the Son of Righteousness!
          Light and life to all He brings
          Ris'n with healing in His wings
          Mild He lays His glory by
          Born that man no more may die
          Born to raise the sons of earth
          Born to give them second birth
          Hark! The herald angels sing
          "Glory to the newborn King!"
That year our Christmas tree took our family on a journey to recall the journey of Jesus Christ that began at Christmas – from a cradle to a cross and to an empty tomb. Who would have thought that crooked old Christmas tree would be such a vivid reminder!