Written a few years ago for my nieces and nephews who love both Christmas and Star Wars.
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Star Wars: A Christmas Hope
The people which sat in darkness saw a great light;
and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death
Light is sprung up...
Matthew 4:16
"I wish there was something I could do to boost morale around here." Leia studied the faces filling the room of their secret rebel base, ready for her to prep them on the day's expected activities and missions.
Luke stood beside her and shook his head. "I don't know, sis. We've had some pretty hard knocks the last couple weeks. We just need to start winning for a change."
"I can't guarantee a win against Vader and his army. We need something simple. Something fun."
Luke shrugged his shoulders and went to join the rest of his squad in the front row. Leia turned to review her notes for the briefing, but when she raised her head to speak, she saw her brother's face light up with an idea. He ran up to the makeshift podium and whispered in her ear.
"A what?" she asked bewildered.
Luke smirked. "Just do it. Trust me. I'll explain later."
Leia greeted her fellow rebels and went on with her scheduled meeting, asking for updates from various squad leaders and handing out assignments. Just as she was about to dismiss everyone, she held up her hand. "Um... there's just one more thing. Another mission of sorts..." She looked around the room for someone who hadn't been given an .
Han. Stubbornness and pride rose up inside her but she squashed it down. He was the only one without an assignment, and she had to do it. For her people.
"Han. I need you to find a tree. An evergreen tree. Tall – just a couple feet lower than the ceiling."
She could see his raised eyebrows from his hiding place at the back of the room.
"Excuse me?" he scoffed.
"Problem with your hearing?" she challenged, hands moving to her hips.
"Oh no problem, Princess. I'd just love to go out in the 30 below winter on this planet and cut down a tree."
Of course, he was being sarcastic, but Leia went with it. "Good. And make sure it's got lots of branches and not too many bare spots."
Han just shook his head, and Leia had to wonder what she had gotten herself into by giving him this task.
She dismissed the rebels and gathered up her notes, quickly distracted by other more pressing matters. She didn't get a chance to ask Luke exactly what the bushy tall evergreen tree was supposed to be for.
000
"It's an old Earth tradition," Luke explained to his squad mates as they ate lunch a few hours later. "At Christmas time – which would be this week, you're supposed to take in an evergreen tree and cover it with decorations."
Someone from another table turned to their group. "Why?" he asked. "It won't last long cut like that."
"It's to celebrate the birth of a Savior, the Son of God. He sacrificed Himself to allow His followers everlasting life. That's why you use an evergreen tree rather than a different kind. Because the evergreen represents eternal life and no death."
If the rebels understood one thing, it was sacrifice. They nodded their heads in agreement. A celebration to honor sacrifice and hope was something they could get behind.
"What do you decorate it with?" another asked.
"Well, I've never actually seen one myself," Luke explained, "but I think any small trinkets and baubles would do. Small enough to fit on the branches."
Discussion followed as everyone debated and decided on what would be fitting for their tree and how best to attach the decorations to it.
000
Later that evening, after supper was done and most of the rebels had returned for the night, the back doors of the base crashed open and a snow monster walked in. No wait, Leia blinked hard. It's just Han and... the tree!
Luke and Leia rushed forward to help Han by closing the doors behind him. Leia resisted the urge to brush the snow out of his hair and face. He dropped the trunk of the tree unceremoniously and glared at Leia as he stomped by to get his supper.
"Thank you," she called after him, not expecting or receiving a response.
Leia looked down at the tree and then over at her brother. "I suppose you know what to do next?"
"Don't worry about a thing, sis. We've got this." He waved his friends over and Leia left them to it. Whatever it was, she was just glad to see some smiles and excitement on the faces of her people who had fought so hard for so long.
000
A few hours later, Leia raised her head from the maps she was studying and rubbed the back of her neck. She hadn't meant to work so late. She put away her things and got up from her desk. On her way to her sleeping quarters, she was surprised to hear people still up, talking and laughing from the main meeting room where they'd left the tree.
Curiosity drew her to the doors. She couldn't believe her eyes when she looked inside. The tree which had been covered in snow and laying on the floor was now upright and dry and covered in a brilliant array of shining bits of metal and pretty pieces of paper. A huge smile spread across her face. "It's so beautiful!" she whispered to herself.
Luke looked over at her from across the room and walked over to join her.
"Neat huh?"
"More than neat; it's stunning," she shook her head in awe.
"Not yet it's not," a voice grumbled behind them. "Kid, you forgot the star," Han sauntered over.
Leia could see a large light bulb and long electrical wire filling his arms.
"A star?" Luke asked.
"Yeah, you know..." He sighed when they obviously didn't know. So he explained himself. "You put a glowing star on top of the tree to represent the star that shined in the sky the night Jesus was born. Wealthy wise men followed it right to the Savior."
Luke and Leia stared at their grumpy friend as if he'd grown two heads.
"Don't look so surprised," he chided them. "My mother tried to raise me right." He left them then to walk to the front of the room. He grabbed an empty chair from one of the tables and climbed on it to attach his light to the top of the tree. Then he yelled for one of the other men to grab the end of the wire and connect it to a power console in the corner.
A few sparks blew into the air and some popping noises were heard, but then there was light! The tree had been beautiful before, but now it shined in a holy and magical way as all the ornaments glistened.
Han returned to Leia and Luke at the back of the room and admired his work. "There," he said proudly. "Now it's done."
Leia held up her hand. "Not yet. I want to put on a decoration too." She reached to her collar and undid the necklace that hung there. She walked up to the tree and hung it on one of the branches.
Then she turned to her rebels with a smile and shrug. "I believe the expression is Merry Christmas."
"Merry Christmas," they hollered back and the room filled with cheers and laughter once more.