Birth of a Christmas Tree TraditionThe original posting on my original blog went up at on a more seasonably appropriate date. However, as my current boss seems to think she is an angel for sending me from the Carolinas to Chicago for the month of January, so it still seems timely to me this morning while it is a balmy 7 degrees outside 
One particular Christmas season a long time ago, Santa was getting ready for his annual Christmas run but there were problems everywhere. Four of his elves got sick, and the trainee elves did not produce the toys as fast as the regular ones so Santa was beginning to feel the pressure of being behind schedule.
Then when he began to load the sleigh one of the boards cracked, and the toy bag fell to the ground scattering the toys all over the place. So, frustrated, Santa went into the house for a cup of apple cider and a shot of rum. When he went to the cupboard, he discovered that the elves had hidden the liquor, and there was nothing to drink. In his frustration, he accidentally dropped the cider pot, and it broke into hundreds of little pieces all over the kitchen floor. He went to get the broom and found that mice had eaten the straw bristles.
Just then the doorbell rang, and irritable Santa trudged to the door. He opened the door, and there was a little angel with a great big Christmas tree. The angel said, very cheerfully, “Merry Christmas, Santa. Isn’t it a lovely day? I have a beautiful tree for you. Where would you like me to stick it?”
Thus began the tradition of the little angel on top of the Christmas tree.
