I looked around the shop at the Christmas trees. The big ones, beautifully dressed and as expensive as they were beautiful, had the best positions.

The cheap ones, without any decorations, were pushed into a far corner by themselves.

Customers were filling their shopping trolleys and cash registers were ringing up the profits.

The picture stayed with me when I went home and took my tiny tree down from the back of the cupboard. It was very plain and quite old now and had seen many Christmases.

Reverently I took the angel out of her box, smoothed her silver cardboard star and straightened her golden halo. I fastened her to the top of the tree on the table and stood back to reminisce. I remembered buying her. She was very cheap but I felt guilty over the few cents for her purchase. Yet she shone and carried the joy of Christmas above the tree. She made the Christmas tree alive.

I thought of the large trees I had seen in the shop. They reminded me of the very first glamorous Christmas tree in the world. It invited a lady to eat of its beautiful fruit. She took and ate and it was the most expensive meal in the world.

The second Christmas tree in the world, like the cheap trees, was pushed into the far corner of a stable. It lay in a box wrapped in cloths.

The angel above it said, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy.”

Memories engulfed me. My angel still shone above the tree and brought good news of great joy. After all the years, she made the Christmas tree alive.

May the two Christmas trees come alive to you, too. Genesis 3:6 and Luke 2:10-12 tell you about them.

Elizabeth Price, Team writer with Just a Minute reprice@dragnet.com.au