The Berenstain Bears A Bear Christmas Tree
It was a cold winter afternoon in late December. All of Bear Country was blanketed in white snow. The wind whipped around as the temperatures began to fall. A blizzard was on the way.
Inside a tree house down a windy road, a bear family was preparing for Christmas. Mama Bear was in the kitchen baking cookies and other Christmas treats. Honey Bear was taste tasting the treats to make sure that they were delicious enough. Papa Bear, Brother Bear, and Sister Bear were in the hallway bundling up.
"Alright cubs," said Papa. "It is really cold out, so bundle up extra tight."
"Okay Papa," replied the cubs.
Papa Bear and the cubs were about to head out to get the family Christmas tree. It had always been a tradition to head out on Christmas eve and cut down the best tree. Brother had the honor this of cutting down the tree for the first time. Papa knew that Brother was now old enough and strong enough to do it.
"Come on Papa," said Brother. "I'm ready to go cut down my first tree."
"Okay, okay," replied Papa. "Let's go!"
Papa opened the door and the cubs walked out. Suddenly, a big blast of cold wind hit the trios of bears. Brother stumbled a bit in the strong wind, but maintained his balance. Sister immediately fell backwards into Papa's outstretched arms. Papa looked up at the sky and saw the ominous clouds on the horizons.
"Back inside now cubs," stated Papa.
"But Papa! What about the Christmas tree?" asked Sister.
"Yeah!" said Brother, still holding the ax.
"That will have to wait!" exclaimed Papa. "Now back inside with you two."
Brother and Sister went back inside the house and Papa slammed the door shut behind them. Papa headed into the kitchen to talk with Mama for about something. Brother just placed the ax by the door and went to sit on the couch. Sister could see that her brother was disappointed, but she was glad that they were back in their warm house.
"Brother! Sister!" yelled Papa a little while later. "Can you come into the kitchen please?"
"Sure thing Papa," yelled back Brother.
Brother and Sister walked into the kitchen and found Mama and Papa sitting at the table. Honey was in Mama's lap and looked clearly upset about something. The cubs pulled out their seats at the table and sat down. Brother just knew that he was not going to like what was about to be said.
"Now cubs," began Papa. "Don't get too upset, but there will not be a Christmas tree this year."
"What!" exclaimed Sister. "No tree! But why?"
"Well, you see dear, there is a blizzard bearing down on Bear Country and it is unsafe for us to go out," explained Papa.
"But where will all the presents Santa Bear brings us go?" asked Sister.
"Presents!" added in Honey.
"Don't worry Sister," stated Mama. "Santa Bear will still come even if we don't have a tree."
"Yeah, okay," was all Sister said in reply.
"Why don't you cubs go up and change out of those clothes and play for a while?" suggested Mama.
"Alright," said Sister. "Come on Honey, let's go play house!"
Sister and Honey got up from the table and headed upstairs. Brother had been quietly listening and thinking during the whole conversation. Brother knew that he could not let them go without a Christmas tree, especially on his first year to cut one down. But due to the blizzard, there was no way he could go outside to cut a tree down.
"Mama, Papa," said Brother. "I have an idea about how to fix this problem."
"Oh you do, do you?" asked Papa.
"Yes, I do have a plan," reiterated Brother.
"Well, let's hear it," said Mama.
"Sure," started Brother. "Well, you know how this was supposed to be the first time I got to chop down the Christmas tree?"
"Right," said Papa.
"So, there is no way I can allow us to go without a tree," said Brother.
"But there is no way I will allow you to go outside in this blizzard," stated Mama, interrupting Brother.
"I know," replied Brother. "I have thought of a replacement for the tree this year."
"Which is?" questioned Papa, clearly intrigued.
"Me!" exclaimed Brother.
"You?" asked Mama, clearly confused.
"Yes, me!" replied Brother. "I want the family to decorate me like the Christmas tree. That way, we will have a tree!"
"Well I'd have to quickly make a holder to put you in, but I think we could manage that," said Papa getting up from the table.
"Brother! You want to be our Christmas tree this year?" asked Mama.
"You betcha," said Brother eagerly.
Papa Bear laughed a little at his son's eagerness. Papa realized that Brother was offering up himself as the family Christmas tree just to make sure that his younger sisters had the best Christmas possible. Papa measured Brother's feet and left to make the holder to put him in. Mama called down Sister and Honey and explained the plan.
"Brother the Christmas tree," said Sister. "I love it!"
"Brother tree!" exclaimed Honey.
A little while later, Papa returned with the holder he had made for their new tree. Papa told Brother that he would place his feet in the holder and then he would not have to worry about falling over. Mama, Sister, and Honey were busy bringing in boxes of decorations to put on the tree.
"Alright Brother," said Papa. "You need to take off your shirt and pants and put on your red swim trunks."
"Why?" questioned Brother.
"Because Christmas trees don't wear clothes dummy," said Sister laughing.
"Sister!" said Mama quickly.
"What? It's true! Trees don't wear clothes!" Sister explained. "Oh, you meant the dummy comment. Sorry Brother."
"It's okay," said Brother pulling his red shirt off over his head.
Brother tossed his shirt onto the couch and headed upstairs to change out of his blue jeans. Meanwhile, Papa positioned the new holder by the fire place. Mama, Sister, and Honey unrolled and untangled strands of lights. The Christmas star was brought out of it's box and everything was ready to decorate the tree.
"Okay, let's do this," said Brother coming back into the living room shirtless and in his red swim trunks.
"Alright Brother," said Papa picking up his son. "Let's get your feet into the holder."
Papa lifted Brother up off the floor and towards the holder. Honey took the opportunity to tickle Brother's bare feet some. Brother laughed and begged for her to stop since he could not get away.
"Honey," said Mama. "Please don't tickle our Christmas tree!"
"Okay," replied Honey.
Brother's feet were tightly secured in the holder. Papa checked and double checked to make sure that Brother the tree would not fall over. Brother was beginning to wonder what he got himself into, but he would never back away from his word.
"Let's decorate the tree!" yelled Sister.
Mama Bear began by wrapping the strands of lights around the tree. She began at the bottom of the holder and started wrapping the strands around Brother's bare legs. Mama left a little room in between each strand of lights for other decorations. The strands of lights wrapped all the way up to Brother's neck. Brother's arms were now pinned to his sides.
Papa Bear next wrapped some popcorn and candy strands around his son's body. The popcorn strands went in between the strands of lights around Brother's legs. The candy strands wrapped around Brother's bare torso and arms. As Papa was finishing his work, he whispered a big thank you to his son.
Sister Bear was next. Sister began taping and hooking ornaments all over Brother's body. She taped a few onto his bare legs and more around his bare chest. Sister hooked a big ornament on each of Brother Bear's ears with much delight. To finish her work, Sister hooked the most special ornament on Brother's nose. Brother did not want anything on his nose, but Sister would not listen.
Finally, Honey Bear was left with the two most important jobs. First, Christmas trees can not talk. So, Honey taped a big label across Brother's mouth. It read "Do not open until Christmas!" Honey's other job was to place the star on top of the tree. Papa lifted Honey up and she put the star on top of Brother's head.
With the decorating complete, the Bear family stood back and observed their handiwork. With everyone happy, they began piling the presents around Brother the Christmas tree. For the rest of the evening, the family sang Christmas carols and drank some hot chocolate. Brother could do nothing but just stand and be the tree.
"Well, it looks like it's time for bed," said Mama as it got darker outside.
"Night Mama, night Papa," said Sister and Honey as they went upstairs.
"Mppphhh!" exclaimed Brother as he saw the family leaving the room.
"Oh, I almost forgot something," said Papa. "Christmas trees can't see either, especially when Santa Bear comes!"
Papa walked over to Brother and placed a blindfold over his eyes. Brother could no longer see a single thing. Mama then placed ear muffs over his ears so the Christmas tree could not hear anything either. Brother was beginning to regret agreeing to this, but he was a cub of his word.
"Night Brother the Christmas tree," said Papa lifting up one side of the earmuffs on Brother. "We will see you in the morning."
"Mmmpphhh!" was all Brother could say.
On Christmas morning, the family came down to find many more presents under Brother the Christmas tree. Mama, Papa, Sister, and Honey enjoyed unwrapping all of their gifts. It was only when all the remaining gifts were for Brother that the Christmas tree was taken down.
"Thanks" said Brother as he walked around trying wake up his legs.
Brother Bear opened all of his gifts from his family and Santa Bear. He got everything he had wanted and more. This had turned out to be a great Christmas after all, even if he had to spend most of it as the tree. As the cubs were heading towards the dining room table for Christmas dinner, Honey grabbed Brother by the arm.
"Thanks Brother for being the tree," said Honey wrapping her arms around Brother's bare upper body in a hug.
"You're welcome Honey!" replied Brother with a smile. "I could not let there be no Christmas tree!"
Brother began to get a warm feeling in his heart. He knew that his whole family appreciated what he had done. They would always remember that special Christmas with the Bear Christmas tree. Brother just kept smiling as he entered the kitchen!
"Brother!" yelled Mama. "Go put a shirt and some pants on first!"
"But, he's still the tree Mama," said Honey.
"Alright," agreed Mama. "But just this one time!"
So, Brother sat down at his seat at the table. Brother was still shirtless and in his red swim trunks as Papa put a big slice of turkey on his plate. Brother also got the biggest piece of cake as a thank you as well. From this day forward, no one would ever forget "Brother, the bear Christmas tree!"