2009

Every year families and individuals alike come to this quiet valley in search of the perfect Christmas tree.  This story is about a little tree named Dooger and how he outsmarted the annual Christmas tree harvest with a little help from a friend.  

Even pine trees have names, not the common names like Blue Spruce or Douglas Fir, but names just like you or me.  Most of the year is spent enjoying the cool mountain air, providing shelter for the wild animals and visiting with the friends and family growing near-by.  All of the trees feared the holiday time of the year but few ever spoke of it, hoping to once again avoid the saw or axe.  They all had heard of what becomes of their friends, decorated with all manner of lights and pretty ornaments, and a warm place to be for the holidays.  Yet, none of them wanted that fate.

Dooger was nearly big enough to be cut down last year but no one chose him much to his pleasure.  But this year had been good, his branches grew out thick and he was at least two feet taller.  In fact this year had been so good for Dooger that he stood out beautifully among his nearby friends and family.  This, Dooger soon realized was not a good thing.  Around September he tried to do everything he could to make himself look bad.  When asked why, he said he was feeling a bit poor, one of his roots had run up against a big rock, which of course, was not the truth at all.  Nothing he did would make his appearance change.  He was a beautiful tree and he knew it.  He even tried to grow faster and taller knowing that really tall trees are rarely taken but that only added to his beauty.  At seven feet tall he knew he was in trouble.

Late November approached, the first snows had arrived and Dooger knew the time was fast approaching.  The Forest Rangers had even erected a building just 15 feet away.  This he knew was the start of the tree hunting season.  The first cars filled with kids and adults alike arrived in early December.  Dooger remembered the fathers with their big saws worst of all.  These men meant business and Dooger knew it.  On weekends a Forest Ranger even dressed up as a Bear named Smokey and visited with the children.  Dooger knew the Rangers were there to protect them so he could not understand why they were letting people take trees.

One day a family approached Dooger, dad with his saw in hand.  Marveling at Dooger’s beauty, they began to discuss whether or not he would fit in their living room.  Dooger shook so hard that the needles began to fall off his branches.  The Dad declared, “He must be too dry, we don’t want him” and they walked further into the forest.  Later that day it happened again but this time when Dooger shook there were no needles loose enough to fall off, that trick would only work once.  This time the Mom said he was too tall.  Family after family took notice of Dooger but for whatever reason he was spared.  The following weekend that same thing happened again, too tall, too short, too full, not full enough, Dooger it seemed was not going to be cut this year.

The final Saturday of the tree harvest had arrived and Dooger was feeling pretty confident he was going to be safe.  He knew if he survived this year that he would be too big the following year and he could live out his time in the beautiful, Colorado Mountains.  Then it happened.  They pulled up in their big car with plenty of room for any sized tree on top.  The kids jumped out to go visit with Smokey while the mom and dad began to scan the forest for that perfect tree.  Dad spotted Dooger and immediately started to measure him up to see if he would be a perfect fit.  Indeed he was.  The mom approached asking him how he had found one so perfect, so quickly.  As the dad got out his saw and tie downs the kids came running over. 

“Daddy, Daddy is that our tree?” the little boy asked.  “I think so, Hunter” replied the dad.  “Daddy, It is so beautiful, but will it fit?” asked his little girl, Kira.  “Yes, I think so Kira”, replied their Mother.  Then their mom turned to dad and asked, “Are you sure we can take one so close to the building and road?”  “I do not see why not” replied the father in a rather uncertain tone.  “I better go ask” he said as he headed off to see the nearby Ranger.  Dooger could see the Ranger and he was not happy with what he was seeing.  In fact, not only did the ranger say it was OK; he even came to help the dad.

Dooger had heard the daddy say Kira’s name and he was going to do something that was forbidden in the tree world, he was going to ask Kira for help.  Now trees do not have very loud voices, in fact they are so quiet that only the smallest of the forest creatures could even hear them but Dooger was desperate.  As Kira ran by Dooger he reached out with his lowest branch and tripped her.  Down she went in to a small pile of leaves and snow.  Un-harmed, Kira looked back at the tree.  She knew that branch was not there when she ran by, and yet somehow she tripped over it. 

As Kira walked cautiously back to the tree to see how this had happened she heard a voice, “Please don’t cut me down.”  Now Kira, at the age of seven was well aware of the fact that trees don’t talk, especially to people.  As she started to walk away to go see what Hunter was up to she heard it again, “Kira, please don’t cut me down.”

This time she was certain, she had heard something.  Very quietly, she walked back up to the tree and around to the back where no one would see her and she whispered, “What is your name?”  Dooger could hardly control his happiness as he began to shake.  Needles and small branches cascaded to the ground.  “Dooger” he replied, hoping she could hear him.  With that Kira let out a big scream and ran to her Mom.  Dooger feared he had scared her away and did not know what to do.  He had a new friend, a friend that could save him and she just ran away.

Kira told her mom, “We cannot kill Dooger!”  “Dooger?  Who is Dooger?” asked her mom.  “That tree, the tree Daddy is going to chop down.  Don’t let Daddy chop that tree down!  There are lots more and besides, look at all the needles on the ground!” declared Kira.  Just as the saw neared the perfect place to begin cutting, Kira cried out, “Daddy Don’t!”  Not a moment too soon, he set the saw down and went to see what the problem was.  “Why not Sweetie?” asked her Dad.  “Daddy, the tree, Dooger, doesn’t want to be a Christmas tree; he wants to stay in the forest.”  She began to cry as the worlds left her mouth.  “Dooger, you named the tree Dooger?” he asked.  “No, he told me that was his name or at least I think so.”  “Now Sweetie, trees do not talk.”  “I know, but I swear he told me his name was Dooger.  He asked me not to let you chop him down and then I asked him his name” she declared.  “Please don’t chop him down?”  “OK, we will go find another tree.  Now say good bye to Dooger” and off they went deeper into the forest.  As each tree was considered, Kira asked them their name and none of them answered.  As night fell with a nice tree on the roof of the car, they headed back into the city.  As they pulled away, Kira yelled back “Merry Christmas Dooger!”

Each year after that until the kids had grown up and started families of their own they began every holiday season with a visit to see Dooger.  Some years they even decorated him so that no one else would dare think of cutting him down.  Many of the other trees took notice over the years and did what they could to avoid being cut down as well.  And so goes the story of how the Trees learned how to outsmart the “tree hunters. “

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