THE CHRISTMAS CARD

Garden plants called a council to discuss their Christmas card. They all agreed they wanted to remind visitors of each season.

“Color, we need color, especially red,” called out a scarlet-leafed bush, “and I’ll share space with my gold-leaved neighbor for fall.”

A shrub with white winter flowers, whose flowers weren’t showy but blossomed sweetly, piped up they’d represent summer. The magnolia tree covered in buds didn’t have to say a word; it would be Spring. But what about winter? Obviously, it would be the small evergreen, the royalty of winter, the traditional tree for Christmas, who sat quietly.

The evergreen spoke, “Every year, I’m honored as the chosen tree. This year, since we need hope in the world, I’ll give most of my space to a tree covered with buds. Isn’t Christmas a time to celebrate a little bud who grew to flower, whose fragrance carried down through the centuries. Perhaps with so many buds on this tree, many blossoms will spread the fragrance of love and hope throughout the coming year.

And so the card was made.