December 20, 2013

Christmas Memories

Brother’s actions many years ago lead family to unique Christmas experience

By Dolores Francis (Special to The Criterion)

Our Christmas trees never looked like the ones in magazines and books.

Instead of graceful, downward swooping branches, ours resembled a pine cone standing on end with branches curving upward. I was probably in third grade before I saw “store-bought trees,” and realized that many people did not tramp out in the field and cut down a cedar tree for Christmas.

One year, my brother, Paul, was charged with going to a neighbor’s house where they had a row of large cedar trees. We had the neighbor’s permission to cut off a limb for use as our Christmas tree.

Instead, he climbed that prickly, poky tree and cut the top out of it. My uncle was beside himself with worry, sure that Paul had killed the tree.

He had not.

The row of cedar trees still stands, one without a top. As far as I know, the neighbors never complained.
 

(Dolores Francis is a member of St. Agnes Parish in Nashville.) †

Local site Links: