The Special Christmas Tree.

 

A Story  by Cathal Dunning.

 

Clonown  N.S. 18/12/99

 

      I  am a tree and my name is Woody. My parents were huge spruce trees and they came to a horrible death as they were cut down to make Christmas trees. Now every time I hear the words “Christmas” it sends a chill down my trunk.  I ended up living as an orphan in a tree nursery in West Cork called Future Forests. Louise and Mike looked after me very well.

 One day a group of teachers came into the nursery. One of them bought me for |six pounds. I was never as scared as I was now. I thought it was the end for me.   She brought me home in the boot of the car. It was a very uncomfortable experience.

 When we arrived at Clonown N.S.I was left in the boot for a day until finally I was taken out. The sun hurt my eyes because it was so bright. To make things worse I was left in a hall for a week. People rushed past me without taking any notice of me .One of them nearly knocked me over!

      The following Monday the teacher brought me into the classroom. I was scared! Everyone was looking at me! The teacher said that I was a very special tree. Those words made me feel very warm inside. She asked everyone why I was a so special. Some said I was very small, others said that I was very prickly. Eventually one girl said that I was special because I was alive and that’s true otherwise I wouldn’t be telling you this story!

 

They got some compost and some leaf mould and put them around my roots as they planted me in a big pot they had got specially. I had never felt so well looked after!

 

 

      Next Monday there will be a special Christmas here and I will be a guest of  honour. All the parents will be invited to it. The senior pupils are making  decorations for me and I will look handsome. The children will look after me for years to come. They will put me out n the garden after Christmas and they will remember to water me in the fine weather. I will grow up to be a big spruce tree like my parents! I want to stay in this school forever! It is not so bad being a Christmas tree after all!