The Christmas Tree of Life

I have been very blessed to spend four of the last ten Christmases with newborn baby boys.  People thought I was crazy, and nowadays December birthdays are hectic at best.  But I wouldn’t trade those four magical, wonderful Christmases for anything.  Staring at a Christmas tree in the quiet wee hours, rocking a brand new baby boy has brought a special light and understanding into my life that I couldn’t have received or appreciated any other way.  My ponderings from those times have evolved into a traditional December Family Home Evening with our Christmas Tree of Life.

Recall with me the visions of the Tree of Life (see 1 Nephi 8 and 11).  Picture the dark and dreary waste, the rod of iron, the great and spacious building and the tree with its most desirable fruit. 

Now picture yourself in a dark room, with your Christmas tree all lit up and bursting with beautifully wrapped packages underneath, beckoning you.  

For our Family Home Evening we make gingerbread cookies, one boy or girl for each family member.  We turn out all the lights but those on the tree and take our gingerbread “family” to the Tree of Life (Christmas tree) via the iron rod (reading scriptures).  We talk about how the Christmas Tree of Life with all the gifts represents the love of God and all that he has in store for us and wants to give us. We talk about how He is eternal like the evergreen; how the light of Christ penetrates everything, just as the lights of our Christmas tree add a special sparkle to our home and hearts.  We discuss what great and spacious distractions keep us from the word of God and thus the tree and the joy found there.  

In 2 Nephi 31:20 we read, “Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope and a love of God and of all men.  Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the words of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father:  Ye shall have eternal life.”

The anticipation of Christmas gifts is the analogy for hope.  But real hope is a sure trust.  It’s the twin to faith.  As the tree lights twinkle with a perfect brightness, we talk of Christ and his love for us and his gift to us.  We talk of our hope in him. We pledge anew to press forward with faith and hope, showing love to all men all year (charity) and to feast on the scriptures to hold to the rod, that we will always find ourselves together as a family at the Christmas Tree of Life.

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I wrote this in 2005 and it was published that same year in The Sentinel.  Since then, I have discovered an interesting article, "The Tree of Life in Ancient Cultures", that doesn't go with the lesson per se, but is good informational reading.