This story by the Danish poet and writer Hans Christian Andersen is about a tree that grows up never being satisfied with its life. There is only one day in the tree’s life (a Christmas Eve) that it feels truly happy. After Christmas, people throw it into a dark attic. While waiting for what comes next, the tree realizes there were many other good things in its life that should have been enjoyed. It is excited when finally brought out into the sun, only to meet a sad end that will make you never want a real Christmas tree again.
Some critics suggest that The Fir Tree and The Ugly Duckling (one of Andersen’s most famous children’s stories written a year earlier) reflect his thoughts about life at those points of time. It is sad to think that just one year after feeling like the ugly “duck” chick turning into a beautiful swan, Andersen thought that life was more like the poor fir tree as it was being burnt to heat laundry water.
Original Text / PDF (3,243 words)
Video Version
This is an episode of The Fairytaler, a Danish animated television series based on the works of Hans Christian Andersen. The series was created in 1998 to celebrate Andersen’s 200th birthday and ran through to 2005. Watch and enjoy!