OH CHRISTMAS TREE

The best Christmas trees come very close to exceeding nature. If some of our great decorated trees had been grown in a remote forest area with lights that came on every evening as it grew dark, the whole world would come to look at them and marvel at the mystery of their great beauty. ---Andy Rooney

 

It was Christmas time again and I was feeling a little trapped in the endless hustle and bustle of the holiday. I'd been working a lot of extra hours was suffering in the seasonal strain of holidays when I escaped to a little town holding a Christmas festival.

Christmas trees and lights, hay-rack rides, and a booth selling handcrafted old fashion ornaments and kids standing in line to see Santa. Down the way, I saw the Storyteller. Wearing his old leather jacket and trademark Fedora standing in front of a large bond fire roasting chestnut with a long-handled roaster. He had gathered quite an audience of both children and adults watching toast the popular seasonal treat.

"Are they done yet?" asked a child as I walked up to warmed my hands against the fire.

"Not yet," answered the Storyteller as he shooked the roaster, mixing the chestnuts around. He then looked at me and said "Hey, kid. How've you've been? I haven't seen you on the river lately."

"You know," I grunted, "I get pretty busy this time of year. I barely have time to enjoy Christmas."

"There is always time to enjoy Christmas," interjected the Storyteller. He gave his roaster a brisk shake and began this story.

Photo: National Archives

"Now the fellas on the work crew called him Rusty, but his folks always called him Russell," the Storyteller stipulated, "He was one of the two million young unemployed men to seek work with the Civilian Conservation Corps during the dark days of the Depression."

"The CCC,"  he pointed out, "Was a popular the New Deal program created by President Roosevelt to help employ the boys with jobs in conservation work. They worked planting trees, fighting wildfires, and building dams and roads mostly in the Americas' parks and forests. The men lived in camps earning only $30 dollars a month, most of which they sent home to their families. A bit like the army, the CCC provided the men with food, clothing, and medical care, along with job training."

 "It was President's Roosevelt's speech on the radio in 1933, that moved Russell to join up," the Storyteller theorized,  "When the President said, "It is time for each and every one of us to cast away self-destroying, nation-destroying efforts to get something for nothing and to appreciate that satisfying reward and safe reward come only through honest work."

Photo: National Archives

"They were known as "Roosevelt's Tree Army," acknowledged the Storyteller, "Russell worked planting trees in a western forest far from his home. They were long hard days of dirty work, but he knew he was earning a living and also doing something important for his country.  In the few lines he wrote to his parents he said, "I’m getting settled in here and look forward to sending you some money soon. This is sure a great program and Mr. Roosevelt did the right thing by getting it started."

"To be sure, there was some homesickness," insisted the Storyteller, "There always a bit of that of that sadness at being away from loved ones especially during the holidays. The camp commanders did his best to keep morale high by having the camp recreation hall decorated festively, leading sing-a-longs of Christmas carols and providing a Christmas dinner with turkey and apple pie."

"But for Russell, his favorite part of Christmas was decorating the tree," offered the Storyteller, "But, after planting hundreds of trees he just didn't have the heart to cut one down. He had heard about some fella in San Francisco by the named of Sandy Pratt who lifted the spirits of a sick 7-year-old neighbor by decorating a tree growing outside his home. Like all good ideas, it caught on and inspired others to do the same. Pratt encouraged everyone to light and decorate outdoor Christmas trees saying they would "act as beacons to prosperity and spread this cheerful message of confidence."

"So Russell, picked out a tree not too big and not too small close to camp so everyone would able to see it," recounted the Storyteller, "With decorations being sparse he painted several large pine cones green and red using from the leftover paint used on the on the camp's building. He strung some tin cans, spoons and a couple of rusty cowbells with wire and fashioned a wooden star to sit on top of the tree."

"It didn't have any lights," the Storyteller insisted, "Back then even the ones inside didn't have them either. But, it looked pretty good to Russell and to the boys in the camp as they gathered around it to sing Silent Night. They were all a long way from home that Christmas and just the sight of the tree brought them a little Christmas joy."

The Storyteller finished his story as he was pulling the roaster full of chestnuts off the fire and holding it out for the kids and adults to take one to try.
It was still hot as I picked one out and carefully removed its shell and let it cool a bit before popping it into my holiday. Its sweet, nutty flavor warmed up my holiday spirit."

"Hey kid," the Storyteller, looked up from his roaster with a slight pause gave me this advice, "No matter what, I think it’s wise to slow down, clear our heads and truly appreciate what matters this time of year. Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas to you too," I said.

Merry Christmas to all of you from Outside Adventure to the Max.