That year we did not have a Christmas Tree. Our father was without job and mother found it hard to keep the house going with everyday expenditure. She has to fall back to whatever savings she had. We asked her for a Christmas Tree, she curtly refused.
"I don't have money for such extravaganza." she told us, "it is better you look for some other alternatives."
"But Mom, without a Christmas tree, it is not possible. Where will Santa Clause land out gifts? Finding no Christmas tree in our home, he will be dismayed and disappointed. What will he think of us?"
"I don't know and I have no time for talking about such issues." Silence fell upon us and we went outside.
Christmas was three days away. Outside out house, there was a big road leading to our school and it passed through a thicket of vegetation. There were some trees that looked exactly like Christmas trees. We looked at them. Two of us sitting outside the door step of our house, we talked about the good days. We talked about the bad days also.
Those were good times when our parents took care of us and actively participated in all the festivities like Christmas, Good Fridays, Easter and Halloween. They spent lavishly on everything and we looked at the pictures which Sarah procured from mother's collection. She looked beautiful in her new dress.
"We are not getting new clothes this time." She told us and we made no fuss about it. We could do without new clothes. But without a Christmas Tree, we could not think of a "Merry Christmas."
"Look, our factory has stopped working. It is all due to recession. There are no more jobs for us. We have to fall back on alimony or whatever money for subsistence comes to us. We should better stop thinking of all things as such until I get a job." Out father told us the hard reality. It was harsh enough.
Tom, why don't we go there and look for a tree for the Christmas. Instead of buying a new one, we can get a small one and fix it in a pot. That will also look like a Christmas tree. Father Santa will not be disappointed to see it. He will love it, of sure.
Sarah was right. So we started for the thicket and took with us garden knife and a shovel, in case we need them. We went out way riding on our bikes. In the way, we came across an old lady standing outside her house. She was trying to insert the key in the keyhole but could not do it. The key slipped from her hand and it fell in the grass.
We went to her to help and offered out help. We found the key she had dropped accidentally and opened the door. We pulled her sopping bags. It was a dark inside. We helped her to locate candles and made her comfortable. It was getting dark outside and hurried to our destination.
Along the stream, there were several plants that looked like small Christmas trees. There was not one but many. We carefully selected one and worked on its roots to displace the soil and pulled it off the ground. Carefully we wrapped it in a cloth and brought it out. It was a nice Christmas Tree, a baby Christmas tree. It was not very big, but it was of the same size we had been looking for, ideal for the pot we were carrying with us. We worked together and fixed the small tree in the pot with pebbles and soil. We wrapped the whole thing in a plastic sheet and loaded it on our bicycles and hurried to our home.
They came across the old woman's house again. This time they were completely tired. They had to push their bikes and had to walk up the entire distance to reach at this place. They stopped for a respite and sat on the stairs leading to the house.
"We are tired. Aren't we?
"Yes. The return journey was very difficult. It is really difficult to carry the Christmas tree."
"We have almost made it. We shall reach home before it is completely dark."
Just then the door opened and out came the old lady.
"Come inside children. It is cozy inside."
"No thanks."
"Don't be modest. Come inside and warm your hands. They must have got the chills of frost outside."
She was right. The frost outside was bitterly biting. They had to take off their gloves and woolens to work on the plant. It was deeply rooted. They had to cut off each root by the shovel before uprooting it. So they were tired. They needed some respite.
"You are living alone? Where are the other members of your family?" Tom asked.
"There is none. I have been living all alone."
"You don't have any child?"
"No I don't have. I had three sons but they had gone along with their families and settled in various parts of the country."
"Don't they ever come back to you?"
"No they don't. They don't visit me."
"Not on the Christmas?
"No, not on the Christmas. None of them visited last year and year before last year. I have stopped counting now."
"Don't you get frightened?"
"No, son, I don't. I have become used to it."
"Then how do you celebrate it, all alone?"
"I just pray to Lord for peace and sleep."
"Does Santa come to your place?" Sarah asked her. She seemed to be more interested in Santa Clause's visit.
"I don't know." The old lady replied in a vain attempt to smile back at children.
"It has started snow outside. Children rush back to your place. Your parents will be worried and get back to them before start looking for you." They readily consented.
"But what about the Christmas Tree? We cannot carry it home in snow."
"Why don't you leave it here? You may get it back in the morning."
"All right; where do you want us to leave it? Outside your house?"
"Not outside. You have worked so hard on the little plant. Why don't you put it up in that corner?"
Children deposited it in the corner of the lonely room. It's tiny spine were dripping with snow and it looked a beautiful dwarf Christmas Tree. "We shall get it tomorrow." Sarah said and the old lady watched them going down the road till they disappeared.
"We shall get it back in the morning." Tom said.
"Yes, of course."
Tom did you notice that the old lady had no one in the house to keep company. She was all alone.
Yes, I did. She isn't frightened to live alone.
Oh, but I am so frightened to even to think of it. Lord, never leave me alone. I love my family, Mom, Papa you my brother and all. I cannot ever even think of being lonely.
Yes, the same here. I pity the old lady. My heart was full of sympathy for her. I was really frightened to leave her behind in the dark all alone.
They went on talking. A few cars passed their way. The snow had stopped falling and they had to make way through the snow. Their bikes would sometime slip off the edge of the road. But they kept on walking.
Tom, how beautiful is our Christmas Tree!
Yes it is. It is really very beautiful and I don't think why we never thought of earlier. We wasted our money on Christmas trees in the past.
Yes. I thank Santa and I have promised him that he will find it the best Christmas Tree.
I shall make it more beautiful and decorate it the best decorations.
Ours will be the best Christmas Tree.
They talked as they walked down. When they reached home, it was past nine. They found their mother busy in the kitchen, She had cooked red radish for soup.
Where shall we put up our Christmas Tree?
Put it up there. Fix it in the backyard. I don't want it inside. The wild plants bring dirt and temerities.
But Mom, we want it inside. We want to place it in our bedroom. We want to make the best Christmas tree.
Oh, So, you got a tree at last. Where did you buy it? Where did you get the money for the tree.
We did not buy it. We got it ourselves. It is not a fake one but real green Christmas tree, exactly like the ones Father Santa used to have it.
Oh. No, not this time. We don't want such things. No more with the dirt and soil. Your mother is right in her saying, so it will do good to fix it in the backyard. You can play with your tree there.
But Dad, it is a beautiful Christmas Tree. You will see to be proud of your children.
Enough of that. Now finish your meals and go to bed.
Sarah and Tom, the poor much pooh-poohed brother and sister silently got up from their seats and headed for their bedroom.
Why can't we carry our tree inside? Tom's words broke the ice between them. In fact they felt discouraged by her Mother's rebukes.
She, in fact has taken it serious view of every thing. She had never thought of it that the children would hang about along the road, beyond their own localities.
Sarah, we shall not able to have our Christmas tree this year and Father Santa will be so disappointed with us. Tom said. He was staring outside sitting in his bed, in dark.
Why, we shall have it here in this very room and we shall tell mother that we will responsible for it.
His sister said. She was adamant.
But what if mother doesn't permit?
No problems, we shall steal it and stealthily bring it inside – Sarah proposed.
No, not stealthily. We should not think of stealing. It is bad. Father Santa will be annoyed with us. He may stop granting our prayers.
OK, what then?
We shall take our decorations and leave the tree where it is.
You mean, the old lady's house?
Yes, The old lady. She was so nice and so lonely. Don't you think she should be happy as we do?
For a minute, silence pervades through them. Sarah got up in her bed and went to his brother. He was still staring at the darkness outside their window. It had stopped falling snow and the moon shone in one corner of the sky.
You are right, Tom. It will remain where it is. We shall visit the old lady. She is so lonely. She needs our company. We shall have some fun there. He needs it too.
Tired from the day one manual labour or contented, they slept through the night, peacefully.
Next morning it was 24th of Dec; they started for the old lady's house. They took along with them their stuff they had collected for decoration, stars, balls, bells and paper buntings. They took some candles also. Tom wanted to take his banjo with him.
By the time they reached her place, they found the door locked. She might have gone to market. They thought and decided to wait outside.
"Oh, there you are. Good Morning, dear children." The old lady greeted them as she climbed the stairs. Tom took her bag and Sarah helped her in opening the lock. Once inside, she made them comfortable. They looked around and they found their Christmas tree. It was beautifully wrapped with a piece of bright clothes.
"You can take your pot and plant. It has been waiting for you since morning." She said pointing the tree.
"No we shall leave it here. It looks beautiful here. We will decorate it for you."
They put up the best show of their skill and aesthetics to change a simple plant to a sacred Christmas tree. The old lady sat by them. She helped whatever little she could but she watched them with interest.
Merry Christmas, Granny.
They spoke simultaneously. Surprised they looked at each other. They a they brook into laughter and ran to the place where they had parked their bicycles.
"Merry Christmas, dear little angels. Merry Christmas. May you be blessed.
When they reached home, a surprise was waiting for them. Their mother told, a delivery boy came and left a packet for them. Excited to see a gift at home, they opened it.
Oh…… No…. My God, such a beautiful…
It is unbelievable. It is beautiful.
They opened the card, it was scribbled in trembling hand,
"Merry Christmas- Granny"
Both brother and sister, as they were, they looked at each other and kissed their tree before saying-
"Thank you Granny."
