Tuesday Tales - Night Tree

Tuesday is almost over but there is still time for bedtime reading and I have just the book! One of my favorite Christmas books is "Night Tree" by Eve Bunting. This book has old fashioned illustrations and an old fashioned family theme you will love. This is a simple story about a family who has a tradition. Each year they make popcorn strings and other ornaments and deliver into the forest to decorate their favorite woodland tree. By the light of the moon and a good flashlight the family decorates the tree and then they lay out a blanket and have treats while they sing carols, a Christmas gift for the animals of the forest. After they return home, they young boy in the family imagines the forest animals dancing around and enjoying Christmas around the tree. What better way to talk about the simple gifts of Christmas, the giving of self, of homemade gifts and the pure joy of giving.


This is a perfect opportunity to talk about the different animals of the forest. Compare and contrast this list with the animals in other categories such as zoo, farm, jungle, dessert, and ocean.


Consider how your family will provide Christmas to the creatures in your back yard!


Have a discussion about the treats you would take with you if you were going into the forest for a picnic. What would be in your thermos? What treats would you take for the animals?


I like this book because the family is doing an activity together. When our children were small two years in a row we went to a tree farm and cut down our own tree. I say only two because two of us in the family were allergic to the tree! In year two our beautiful tree fell in the living room and there was quite a mess on the off white carpet. Seemed like a wonderful, simple and natural idea at the time and it was! Cutting down the tree at the farm is still a fond memory for our girls. This may or may not work for you but I wonder what your family could come up with to make this story come alive and make a memory for your holiday season!

Abundance is...creating your own traditions.