On a visit to a tree lot, the Johnson family sees three beautifully decorated trees standing in the center of the lot. A mysterious silver gift-wrapped box is under one of the trees. The old lot owner notices their intrigue and what he tells them, not only marks the beginning of a new family tradition, but also brings meaning and understanding into their Christmas celebration. In The Legend of the Christmas Tree, children ages 4 to 8 will discover the wonderful story of how the evergreen tree first became a symbol of Christmas and a way to tell people about God. The beautiful illustrations by Bill Dodge add a wonderful richness to the story and help bring meaning to one of our best-loved traditions---decorating the Christmas tree.

"The littlest fir tree" in the hills near Bethlehem learns the true significance of Christmas and becomes "the first Christmas tree."

Recounts the traditions and folklore surrounding the Christmas tree, including its origin, customs around the world, and the activities that take place on a Christmas tree farm.

On November 21, 1912, the schooner Rouse Simmons set sail from a small northern Michigan town across Lake Michigan. Affectionately dubbed the "Christmas Tree Ship," this was an annual trek for the Rouse Simmons. With its cargo of Christmas trees, the ship was bound for Chicago. There Captain Herman Scheunemann would sell the trees for 50 cents or $1.00 and even gave many away to needy families. But the schooner never makes its destination. The Rouse Simmons, with all hands and cargo, disappears into the cold waters. The ship's wreckage is not found until 1971. Drawing from stories told by her grandfather, author Carol Crane weaves a fictional tale based on the true events of the doomed schooner. And she explains how the captain's widow went on to continue his tradition of delivering holiday trees to Chicago. Carol Crane's many books for Sleeping Bear Press include the best-selling P is for Pilgrim: A Thanksgiving Alphabet and The Handkerchief Quilt. As a literacy advocate, Carol speaks at schools and conferences. She lives in North Carolina. Chris Ellison has illustrated children's picture books and adult historical fiction for nearly 20 years. His book Let Them Play was a 2006 Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young People. Chris lives in Mississippi.

This charming tale of an overgrown pine always being passed by for Christmas, and what his woodland friends do to help him, is sure to become a Christmas classic. With delightful illustrations by wildlife artist Michael Monroe and enchanting text from Colleen Monroe, the birds, deer and squirrel of this story help make their special friend's wish come true.

One family tells the history of the Christmas tree while decorating its own In this warmly illustrated book, a family trims its Christmas tree. As the mother, father, grandmother, and children decorate together, they tell the story of how Christmas trees came to be, including the changes in size and appearance over time, and the way ornaments were first introduced. Tomie dePaola effortlessly weaves together little-known historical facts with the story of one family’s traditions. This fixed-layout ebook, which preserves the design and layout of the original print book, features read-along narration.