The Tumbleweed Christmas Tree

The following is a true story...

“Don’t expect too much for Christmas this year,” we heard our daddy say as we sat on the sofa listening. “We don’t have a whole lot of money and we don’t want you to be disappointed in the morning.” I was 12 at the time, my sister was 13. Our younger brothers were 9, 8, 4, 2, and a new baby. The year was 1960. Dad was a homebuilder and a recession had taken its toll on the economy. He was working hard to save his business and provide for his growing family.

Mama had found a huge tumbleweed that had blown up against our house and had brought it inside, sprayed it with white paint, and hung blue lights and shiny silver balls on it. That was our Christmas tree.

On Christmas Eve, we read from the Bible about the birth of the baby Jesus; and then we went to bed, but not with visions of sugarplums in our heads. Our anticipation of Christmas morning was filled with little hope that there would be much under the “tree”. Daddy had told us that no one was to get out of bed before 6:00am, so we snuggled under our covers for the night.

At 5:00am, we were awakened by the sound of bells and someone running up and down the hall singing, “Jingles Bells” at the top of his lungs. “Wake up, wake up,” Daddy was shouting excitedly. “Come and see what Santa has brought.” We jumped out of bed and ran out into the hall in our pajamas. Daddy lined us up, youngest to oldest, and led us into the living room where our tumbleweed tree was shining with bright lights. Underneath it, we found ice skates for me and my sister and inexpensive toys for our brothers. Mama had made us new dresses and new shoes were unwrapped. Our stockings were full of homemade candy, cookies and fruit. No children on earth were as excited as we were. We watched as mama and daddy opened the gifts we had made them in school. Tears came to their eyes as they watched their children hug their gifts to their hearts.

We didn’t get much for Christmas that year, but we received a whole lot more. We learned to have a grateful heart, a generous spirit, and to treasure the love of a family.

The next year, daddy sat us all down again and announced, “Now, don’t expect too much for Christmas this year….” And we looked at each other and smiled.