Shannon's Library

“They say that if you creep into an evergreen forest late at night you can hear the trees talking.”

I grew up with a lot of Christmas traditions in my family.  But none are as treasured as this book, “Why Christmas Trees Aren’t Perfect, by Richard H. Schneider.”  I remember when my parents first read us this story.  Back then, way back then in the 80’s, this story wasn’t a beautifully illustrated novel.  It was originally published in the Readers Digest magazine.  My parents loved it so much that they made a copy of the article.  Every year they would pull out this copy of the story, a piece of paper that got more and more raggedy with each passing year. We would snuggle up together next to our Christmas tree and fall in love with this story all over again.

This sweet story is about a forest where all the pine trees are perfectly perfect!  No gaps in the branches.  No crooked limbs.  No threadbare needles.  Just perfectly, lovely trees.  Each year the queen chooses the MOST perfect pine tree to be displayed in her castle.  So, of course, all the trees try to grow up to be perfect in the hopes of having this honor.

Small Pine is one of these trees.  To the jealousy of all the other trees in the forest, Small Pine is practically perfect.  He dreams of what it will be like to one day be chosen to be decorated and displayed in the beautiful castle.  But one winter, everything changes.  As wildlife in the forest start seeking help, Small Pine is forced to make some difficult decisions.  Will he help these poor animals and possibly risk his chance at being chosen by the queen?

I don’t want to give too much of the story away, but I will say…this book is the reason my poor mom had to have the ugliest, saddest, most thread-bare Christmas trees in her home for years after reading us this book!  All to make her children happy!

“Why Christmas Trees Aren’t Perfect” has continued to be a beloved tradition in mine and my sister’s homes as we’ve grown and had our own children.  One Christmas my parents gifted each of us a beautiful, commissioned painting of this novel.  It brings me so much joy each December as I bring it out of storage and hang it on the wall above my Nativity set.  And a couple of years ago, my daughter, Tess, wrote a song on the guitar, “Christmas Trees Aren’t Perfect,” as a Christmas present to my parents.  Needless to say, this book holds a special place in the hearts of my family members!

If you haven’t read this novel yet, please do so this Christmas season.  Your hearts and your homes will be greatly enriched by this special story!