a charlie brown christmas tree

growing straight and strong and mostly nicely shaped right smack against our deck, was a 7 foot pine tree. since it was growing in such an awkward location, most people would probably have cut the tree down and burned it up ages ago. not me. i have been keeping my eye on the tree for several years, and i have had big plans for it all along. now that it was blocking the stairs, the time had come. this christmas, the charlie brown tree is going to be our christmas tree.

the tree is no beauty. far from it! it is a runt compared to some of our past christmas trees (we have had 14 footers a few times). its branches are not lush and full and even, and it has a small bare spot on one side. but somehow the thought of simply getting rid of the little tree makes me sad....

i guess it comes down to this: most people spend a lot of time in search of the PERFECT christmas tree; i, however, find joy in an IMPERFECT one, one that most people would ignore or ridicule. i am delighted this scraggly tree decided to sprout and grow under the big ma and pa pines right beside the house. we cut the scrawny mite down on sunday. soon it will not seem so small anymore; it will stand proud and tall in the livingroom with the magestic designation of c. b. christmas tree 2010. once it is decorated, the small wild tree will be as beautiful as any pampered farm-raised christmas tree. actually, make that more beautiful, since our little tree has been loved since it was 6 inches tall.....