That Time the Christmas Tree Fell (along with my ego)

Margaret Gartlgruber shares how her fallen Christmas tree taught her more about humility than any prayer book. 

Our just-decorated Christmas tree fell during the night. It was my own fault, really. My husband had noticed the tree was a bit tilted the morning before, but I had other priorities. I was upset with him, and I wanted him to know all about it!  

I had just been outside in the freezing cold waiting for the puppy to do her thing, remembering what he had said before he left for the gym. He said he did not like how I had arranged the furniture to fit the Christmas tree. I began arguing with him in my mind.  

“Why do you have to criticize me? Why can’t you just let me arrange things the way I want, and maybe compliment me for a change? You didn’t even compliment my hard work decorating the tree either, for that matter!”  

Looking at the puppy, who was taking a long time this morning, I muttered, “Hurry up! It is freezing. I hate the cold weather. If only we had a fence,” lamenting how my husband did not care enough to build one. In that moment, I realized he had not taken a turn with the puppy (in the freezing cold!) at all, the day before. This was when my tears of self-pity began to flow freely. 

“Is the Tree Tilting?” 

Therefore, when my husband came home from the gym and questioned if the tree was tilting, I had other things on my mind. I was determined to say them all — out loud — right at that moment. I ignored the tree. He left for work. And I stayed home and sulked.  

After a while, realizing I was wrong to continue feeling sorry for myself and in an effort to let it go, I called my husband. I apologized and told him he could arrange the room as he wished. I meant it to sound magnanimous, of course. And seeing it in writing, it might seem to come across that way, but when my husband responded, “Why do you not seem very sorry?” … Well, I tried. Is it my fault if the words don’t come out right?  

And so … the tree was forgotten in the self-pity, daily duties, and the hard effort to get over myself.  

But the tree would not go ignored. It wanted to be straight and reminded us the next morning when we woke up with the tree down on the furniture, ornaments shattered, and water from the tree stand everywhere.  

The Tree Reminded Me of Myself 

I realized that this tree was like me. Yes, I was doing all of the right things: praying, journaling, attending Mass. But so had my tree, allowing me to decorate with the usual things: lights, ribbons, and ornaments. Yet neither of us was quite right. Depending on how closely you looked, you could only see that the tree was tilted when you looked at it from a particular angle. The same with me. I have been walking around tilted for a while — a fact that was hidden because I was good at disguising things.  

I have been looking at Jesus crooked lately, with my back bent and my eyes darting everywhere instead of directly at Him. I was doing all of the right things, but prayers were quick and minimal, Mass was distracted, and my usual three pages written each morning dwindled to one page, if any.  

I realized I needed to get straight with God before gravity took me, like the tree, crashing to the ground.  

Getting Straight with God 

As I came down the stairs, my husband announced, “The tree has fallen.”  

Sighing, I walked right by it, and grabbed my coffee, my prayer book, and my journal. I focused a bit harder. I looked closer at my crucifix until my eyes focused on Him. I had important things to do that day, and I needed to straighten up. 

From the desire of being praised, deliver me Jesus. (Litany of Humility)  

As I looked at God and saw Him looking back at me, I realized I had forgotten something. Humility. 

During the last few weeks, I started looking to others for praise and compliments, and when I did not get them, I sulked. I remembered that humility is knowing how much God loves me. I only need look to Him for praise and compliments. As I feel Jesus covering me with the coat of His love, I can feel myself straighten.  

A Second Chance … and a Rock 

Seeing God’s love more clearly, I was able to bring that love to others. I joined my husband, and we hoisted the tree back into place and cleaned up the shattered glass.  

I got busy re-decorating, grateful for God’s love and the second chance to do something I enjoy, but with love that time. By the time I finished, I loved the tree again. And I know Jesus also delighted in it. Compliments from others were no longer necessary.  

This time we looked at the tree from all angles to make sure it was straight. Then my husband got a huge rock from outside and placed it in the tree stand … just in case.  

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Copyright 2025 Margaret Gartlgruber
Images: copyright 2025 Margaret Gartlgruber, all rights reserved.