Top of the Tree

Gracie huffs as she takes in her new placement on the Christmas tree. As a hand-stitched angel ornament made with care for the little girl of this family, she resented being on the bottom of the tree. For the last four years, no matter where the little girl places her on the tree after the kids go to bed the mother of the family rearranges the tree and Gracie ends up back here. The mom mutters something about “Soft ornaments belong where small hands and animals could reach.” So what, she protects the more delicate ornaments? 

She was an angel after all, shouldn't she be allowed to be near the top of the tree? Wasn't that where angels belong? Despite her grumbling, there wasn't much she could do. She just hung there. 

Thanks to the cat's occasional nuzzling and her attempts not to react she was closer to the edge of the branch than she would like. As presents were piled under the tree she, like last year fell off the tree, trapped behind a present.

She lies stuck on the ground, the only to be found once Christmas is long gone like always. 

But this year the children seemed more interested in what was under the tree, “Izzy look this one is for you!” Gracie hears the older brothers call to their little sister. 

Gracie listens as the kids giggle and shuffle presents around and Gracie can see past the presents for the first time in weeks. Gracie wishes she could move or talk to get little Izzy’s attention but that would break the rules so she stayed still. “Do you know what it is?” Izzy shakes her presents. 

“No idea” One of her brothers teases, “It’s not like I was with mom when she bought it.” 

“Hey now, no spoilers for Christmas!” the oldest brother reminds the middle brother and shoos him away. “What do you think it is Izzy?” 

Gracie listens as the little girl comes up with crazy ideas of what her mother might have bought her. But before she put the present back, “Hey! What’s that?” Chubby little figures reached under the tree and grabbed hold of Gracie,  “My angel fell!” 

“Oh, that's too bad Izzy, here I’ll help you put it back on the tree.” Her brother offered. 

“It’s an angel shouldn’t we put it higher on the tree?” Izzy reaches up. 

Her brother shakes his head, “I don’t know kid, Mom says the soft ornaments belong on the bottom of the tree.” 

“Because of me and the cat… I know, I know. But it’s an angel.” She huffs. 

“Do you really wanna mess with mom’s perfect tree?” Her brother teases. 

“Good point, but I’m taking my angel to my room!” Izzy cups Gracie in her hands and darts down the hall. 

Izzy carries her newfound treasure into her room and carefully hangs Gracie on her bedpost. “There! That’s where you belong!”

Well, Gracie wasn't so sure, “Angels belong up on the trees.” She speaks without thinking. 

“What was that?” Izzy stares at her. Gracie froze, careful not to make any more noise, “You talked! I heard you!” 

“No, you didn't.” Gracie mumbles. 

“You did it again!” Izzy picks Gracie up again, “Do all ornaments talk?”

No use fighting it now, “Well, not all ornaments,” she explains, “Just ones that are made with love and care.” 

“Grandma made you for me, and she loves me! She tells me I’m her special little girl!”  Izzy jumps up and down.

“And her love for you made me talk,” Gracie explains while being jostled around. 

Izzy paused “Do you want to be in here?”

“I'd rather be on the top of the tree.” Gracie sighs. 

“We already have a big angel on top of the tree.” Izzy shugs as if that somehow fixes it.

“Well, I know, but I wish I could be closer to her. I'm an angel. Isn't that where we belong?” Gracie exclaims.

“Well, I don't know.” Izzy shrugs.

“I think so. Can you help me?” Gracie pleads. 

“Well, I don't know. You've heard what Paul said, what if Mom gets mad that I moved an ornament and I can't reach the top of the tree…” Izzy paces around her room. “What if I just threw you up on the tree?” 

“That sounds painful.” Gracie cringes, picturing herself falling the tree again.

“You're right. Hold on, stay there.” Izzy puts Gracie back on her bedpost and grabs a book that Gracie couldn’t quite make out. 

Soon Izzy was back, dragging her Paul into her room. “Will you read me the Christmas story?” 

“Again? Seriously, you heard it on Sunday, and you had mom read it to you last night.” Paul sits on her bedroom floor, “Isn’t there another book you want to read?” 

“No, I want this one. Please!!” She looks at him with big pleading, eyes. 

Paul rolls his eyes and takes the books, “Alright fine you win.” Izzy beams and sits next to him. 

Gracie listens, she tries to figure out how this story was supposed to help her get up on the tree. She hears about an angel telling a young girl she was gonna be a mother, and an angel telling the girl’s soon-to-be husband not to leave her. Then she hears how the couple had to walk to Bethlehem even though the baby was due soon. Gracie wasn’t sure she understood, how does this connect to the gifts and the tree she sees every year? 

Then the night, the little baby was born angels filled the sky sharing good news for all people, that this baby had come to save the world. Gracie began to wonder, but Izzy voiced her thoughts. 

“Is that when we put an angel on top of the tree? Because they shared the good news” She interrupts Paul. 

“I guess so.” Paul shrugs, “I don't see why not. They came to tell us about Jesus, who loves us and saved us.”

“He came as a baby. Just like us! We learned that in Sunday school!” Izzy smiles proud she remembers.

“Yep, and when he grew up he made a big difference for the whole world.” He ruffles her hair, “And when you're a bit bigger you’ll learn more about that change.” 

“Thank you for reading to me but I’ve got something to do now.” She shoos Paul away. 

Laughing he makes his way out of the room, “You’ll never make sense to me, Izzy. But happy to help with whatever that was.”

“See angels are special. And that's why you go on the top of the tree.” Izzy collected Gracie in her hands and headed to the kitchen, “Mommy I want to move an ornament!”

“Which one do you want to move my dear?” Her mom turns to face her daughter. 

“I want to put the angel Grandma made me near the top of the tree because that's where Angels belong!” She stands up tall. 

Her mom looks like she might argue about moving the ornament, but her husband looks up from the table, “I think that's a great idea honey! Here, I’ll help you!” 

“Yay! Izzy leads her parents to the living room. 

“But babe, the tree…” 

“Can look chaotic my love, the kids don't care about perfect trees.” He picks Izzy up. 

“Ya, you’re right. Boys! Come move a few ornaments around on the tree!” The boys come running and the family rearranges the tree.

“There you go, right where you belong.” Izzy winked at Gracie. 

Izzy never told anyone about Gracie talking to her and never heard Gracie talk again but every year that little hand-stitched angel sat near the top of the tree and made sure her kids knew why angels belonged there.