We lived on a strict budget in 1950.  My husband and I were newly weds and he was in his second year of Chemical Engineering at West Virginia University in Morgantown, WV. I worked as a lab technician, making $150 per month and there was no money for frills. Starry eyed, deeply in love, we began our life together trusting in God's love, and each other.      The only housing we could afford was a one room apartment in the attic of an old dilapidated building located on Willey Street near the corner of High. Ted studied at a desk located in a dormer window. A tiny bath, small corner kitchen and a couch that made into a bed completed the furnishings.      As our very first Christmas approached, we knew we could not afford gifts for each other, but we hoped to have at least an unadorned tree for our tiny apartment, beneath which, we could place Christmas cards friends had sent. Our budget showed we had exactly one dollar and ten cents to spend. In 1950, Christmas trees cost at least five dollars each. However, with a childlike faith that only comes to the young, we felt sure God had a tree out there someplace just for us.           On the Saturday evening before Christmas, we bundled against the cold wind and walked down High Street to the edge of town where trees were for sale. We could see our breath it was so cold. Darkness had set in but the lot was brightly lit. It was a picture perfect setting, with snow on the ground reflecting like diamonds all around the trees. An elderly gentleman approached us--two kids--shivering in the wind, and asked if he could be of help.      “Yes,” Ted answered, “it is our very first Christmas together.” He pulled a dollar bill out of one pocket and a dime from the other, to show the man. “This is all we have to spend, do you have something for us,” he asked?      His smiling eyes looked at us from beneath a woolen hat pulled down to his eyebrows. After a pause he replied, “Well, I am going to let you have any tree on this lot for fifty cents. Take your time and pick it out, it is yours.” He went on to say that he would give us a tree if they belonged to him, but they didn’t, he just worked there.      Delighted, we began our trek among the trees still left on the lot. Straight ahead we saw a 3 foot tall long needle pine. It looked like it had been especially grown just for our little apartment. The old gentleman handed us our change, and then told us, “My faith does not observe this coming holiday,” he confided, “I only work here each year so I can enjoy Christmas right along with folk like you who do. Selling this tree to you for fifty cents has brought me much pleasure tonight.”      With a hug, we thanked him for making our holiday a special one, and pocketing the sixty cents, Ted carried our treasure back up High Street toward home.      It was by then, 8 PM on Saturday evening. A Five and Dime store was still open with a sign on the window indicating all Christmas decorations were on sale. We propped our tree against the outside of the store and went inside. For sixty cents, we bought icicles, garlands and a dozen glass bulbs. In another hour the tree was decorated and our presents in place. We stood back, looked at it and thought it was the most beautiful thing we had ever seen. (Remember, we were young, in love and a little bit crazy)      Fifty one Christmases have come and gone since that first one in Morgantown, West Virginia. Since that time we have had Christmas trees that touched the ceiling of our home, costing many times what our first tree did. But none has ever equaled the excitement of our very first Christmas together.  And in those Fifty one Christmases we have found God as faithful to us as He was in providing for two crazy kids in love in their first year of marriage. "Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful." (Hebrews 10:23)

Evelyn R. Smith © 2002 Bible Center Church Back To Main Page / Archive of Previous Articles