OME years the Kuklapolitans waited for Santa to bring the tree and trim it, but this year they decided Santa had too much to do and they would help him out and trim the tree a little earlier.  Well, Ollie was all for a modern tree this year.  He said he’d make one out of coat hangers and pipe cleaners and trim it with neon lights.  That idea didn't go over so well with the rest of the crowd.  Both Fran and Kukla thought there was nothing like a good old-fashioned Christmas tree and the rest of the Kuklapolitans agreed.  After Kukla had talked it over with him, Ollie finally admitted that he liked an old-fashioned tree, too.

    “But,” he said, “if we're going to have an old-fashioned tree, let's do it as we do in Dragon Retreat.  Go up in the mountains and cut just the one you want.”

   “Tooie, tooie, tooie,” spoke up Cecil Bill as he shouldered his axe, which meant, "I'll be back in an hour.”

    “But there aren't any mountains around Chicago!” Fletcher said.

    Cecil Bill was all for going out into the park but Fran explained carefully that city officials might frown on that sort of thing.

    “Well, of course, we could all get in the station wagon and drive to northern Michigan but I had planned on trimming it tonight.” Ollie said.  Suddenly they all heard ‘zip– zip– zoom’  off in the distance, outside.

    Mercedes, who was sitting in the window seat, screamed, "Look, Look, It’s magic!  A Christmas free is flying through the air and headed this way!  And there’s someone sitting on it!”

    Well, of course, you all know who it was – Buelah Witch!  She had a little difficulty bringing it down to earth.  It was as neat a needlepoint landing as had ever been made on the back porch.

    “Hello, kids!” she called as took off her goggles.  “Here's our tree!”

    “But, Buelah,” began Fran, “how did you know?”

    “Why, dear,” Buelah answered, “I used to always get the tree back home – used to get it in the Blue Ridge mountains.  I knew we were supposed to trim the tree tonight so I went out and got one. Had a little difficulty over Cincinnati – high wind.”

    Well, it was a beautiful tree and it no time at all Cecil Bill and Ollie had a stand made and Kukla had brought down the ornaments from his closet.  What a cozy evening it was!  All  the Kuklapolitans entered into the spirit.  Madame Ooglepuss had hung some mistletoe up in the doorway and was waiting coyly for the colonel to notice her. Poor Doloras was so tired from the excitement that she had curled up beside Fletcher and fallen asleep while she watched him pop corn to string for the tree.  Kukla had tried to reach the top of the tree with the star but the ladder wasn’t quite high enough so Buelah put it on with the help of her indoor broom.  Fran was standing in the doorway stringing cranberries and kept reminding Cecil Bill to hold the ladder good and steady.   Mercedes kept parading through the room rehearsing for the Christmas pageant and showing off her costume.  Poor Ollie was trying to test the Christmastree lights and as usual, got completely wound up in his job. But when it was finished, Kukla said, “Fran, we say this every year, but I still think it’s the best tree we've ever had.”