It's the first day of Christmas, and what did Barnum see, but a beautiful Christmas tree!

December 14, 1851

"Okay, careful, careful!" P.T., Phillip, and W.D. were carrying a huge Christmas tree into the building.

"Ouch!"

"Wait, wait - "

"A little to the left…" together, the three men got the tree safely settled. It only just barely fit through the door. P.T. sighed with satisfaction.

"Very nice!" he rubbed his hands together.

Lettie had walked right past the main room before doing a double take. She turned back around and poked her head in.

"I thought you had some crazy ideas already, Barnum. But why on Earth have you brought a tree indoors?" The three men exchanged surprised looks. Lettie didn't know what a Christmas tree was? Charity and Anne elbowed them hurriedly. Luckily, before things could get awkward, Helen and Caroline raced in.

"Lettie! You're just in time!" Helen shouted. Lettie smiled, though she still looked confused.

"Um, great. What exactly am I in time for, again?"

"Tree decorating! Caroline exclaimed, thrusting a string of popcorn into Lettie's hands. Comprehension dawned on Lettie's face - she had heard of this tradition. Her eyes roamed over the other decorations Charity and Anne had gathered: More strings of popcorn as well as of nuts and cranberries, ribbons, fruit, colorful glass baubles...she paused. She raised an eyebrow at Charity. "You want to have open flames near a plant? A dying plant?" Charity laughed.

"I realize we haven't had a great history with fire, but the candles are tradition - and we'll only light them when there's at least one person in the room." Lettie watched Caroline and Helen begin to weave their decorations into the branches of the tree.

"Come on, Lettie!" Helen urged. "Here, I'll show you." Lettie allowed the little girl to help her arrange the popcorn strand on the tree. Charity smiled at the peaceful, happy scene before her as Phillip and W.D. lifted up the girls to decorate the taller parts of the tree. Well, it was peaceful, until -

"Oh, no!"

"Grab the tree-"

"Don't let it fall over!"

Question of the Day: If you celebrate Christmas, do you favor a real or a fake tree?

My family has always decorated a fake one, but I decorated a real one in my residence hall this year and I think that's what I'll be switching to when I have my own tree.

The tree actually did nearly fall over while we were decorating it! And besides, you know with P.T. at the helm things aren't going to go smoothly...