A Christmas Tree


When I lived in Tokyo a family moved into the same apartment complex where we lived. They had one daughter and she was the same age as Miyuki. Miyuki made friends with her soon and her mother and I also.

The mother's name was Kiyo and she taught me so many things. For instance, she had lived in America for three years, she taught me the way of making a Christmas house made by sweets.

One day she invited us to her house. There was a big live tree in it. It was a Christmas tree. I had seen fresh Christmas trees but almost all of them were at shopping malls. That was just the first time to see the fresh one in a house. It was beautiful. Many ornaments glittered by lights, it looked like the one scene of a movie. At that time, I realized the tree was cut down at the base. I had a tabbing pain in my heart but I soon forgot, it was so beautiful.

This year I have been planning to decorate a fresh Christmas tree. Maybe it'll give our house a soft atmosphere. I want to decorate it with glass ornaments.

But my husband opposed my idea. He said that it took about six years for trees to grow up as Christmas trees; if it is cut off, it will never grow up again. "Let's buy a fake one !" There's a lot in what he says.

I couldn't abandon my plan. I tried to involve my daughter. If she agrees with my opinion we win the majority. I explained to her about the appeals of fresh Christmas trees.

"I have one question, Mama.", she said. "After Christmas, what do you do with the tree? " Kiyo usually cuts it to pieces and throw it away and my husband saw the same situation here last year. Things was going too bad for me, but I couldn't tell her a lie. "After Christmas, people throw it away." She opened her eyes wide in shock. "I like to see things growing up", she said. "I love fresh Christmas trees but.....if I have it, I cut off it's life, I can't do that."

That time I admitted to abandon my plan.

I missed my plan, but I fulfilled one wish.