The First Tree of Christmas - Chapter One

The First Tree
of Christmas
By A. R. Jackman

The Tree Search
A pear shaped, bushy tailed red tree squirrel fidgeted with the shelled remains of his breakfast nut. While chewing the last few meaty morsels, he gazed down from the withered branch, on which he sat, out over a quilt of new fallen snow softly covering the forest of trees and bushes far below his winter hideaway. The first morning rays of sunshine peeked carefully over the crest of the treetops, chasing away lingering shadows which clung to the underlying branches and empty corners. As the sun encroached upon the forest, the freshly fallen snow began to sparkle and shine.
The squirrel, having finished his breakfast, turned in retreat to the knot in the tree where he had fashioned a warm winter nest, when movement beyond a distant hill caught his eye. He paused with interest, squirrels being very curious creatures, and waited.
Within minutes, the movement, that had caught the squirrel’s attention, appeared over a slight rise in a clearing. It paused momentarily and began weaving back and forth between distant trees. In the silent morning air, he could hear the distinct chatter of voices. Cocking one little furry ear to the sky, the squirrel listened intently for further noise. Presently a broad smile spread across his furry cheeks as he recognized the faint but unmistakable voice of Mrs. Claus.
As the group approached the squirrel’s home, he scampered further out along the branch to get a better view. When they came into focus far below, he recognized the warmly dressed figure of Mrs. Claus leading three cheerful looking elves through the snow. The elves were stuffed into well-worn winter coats, zipped tightly over traditional, muddled green, workshop overalls and tidy crimson colored long-sleeve work shirts. Their feet were covered with rubber-soled high laced brown work boots. Each wore a thick woolen cap that matched their shirts. The caps, pulled low over their ears, stretched to a point and drooped severely to one side. The first elf, named Samantha, held a measuring tape tightly between her woolen mittens. The second, a mischievously happy looking elf named Peter, had pockets bursting with yellow ribbons. Robert, the last elf of the group, pressed a clip board tightly to his chest with a pale yellow pencil sticking out of the breast pocket of his overalls.
Mrs. Claus was wrapped tightly in a fluffy red and white striped winter coat with matching boots and gloves. Her face was open to the crisp morning air, exposing rosy red cheeks, sparkling gray oval grandmother eyes and silver white hair pulled atop her head in a tight bun. She pushed briskly through the snow with the assistance of a smartly carved walking stick.
The elves stumbled happily along behind Mrs. Claus, attempting to shuffle within the trail she was creating in the snow. Despite the early hour, the elves were excited to be participating in the morning’s special outing. They had earned this opportunity and been chosen to assist Mrs. Claus on this, her most important, Christmas task.
Every year, when the workshop’s calendar proclaimed that Christmas was just two weeks away, Mrs. Claus would gather all the elves at the North Pole together in the village’s cobble-stoned square and would, with a fair amount of pomp and circumstance, announce the names of three chosen elves. This announcement was the culmination of days of anticipation. For the elves chosen by Mrs. Claus were the three that she felt best represented the spirit of Christmas that year. They were judged, among other things, on how efficiently they worked in the workshop, how creative they were with their toy making, if they showed a positive attitude at all times and finally, if they went above and beyond to show their love for the children whose toys they were making. The three elves who were given this unique honor, were bestowed the title of Tree Elves and were released from their typical duties for the opportunity to assist Mrs. Claus in her final preparations of Christmas. The most exciting of which was accompanying Mrs. Claus into the forest to select and retrieve the first tree of Christmas.
The choosing of the first tree marked the height of the Christmas rush at the North Pole. The excitement bubbled and spread throughout the crowds as they gathered to watch Mrs. Claus and the elves’s triumphant departure into the forest at first light. Cheers arose in the chilled arctic air and holiday spirit flowed through the remaining elves as they separated, vacating the village square, to begin their day within the workshop of the North Pole. The elves laughed and chatted as they worked. This was the climax of all that they had accomplished during the year. Since most of the toys had now been made and set aside in towering piles, the tremendous task began of checking the lists twice, wrapping the presents with colorful paper and bows, and labeling the gifts with each of the children’s names.