Sharon’s Christmas Tree Skirt

By Tammy C. Wood, Nevada, USA

For me, my sister-in-law’s gift became a symbol of the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

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Christmas tree skirt

Illustration by Anastasia Suvorova

While my husband and I attended college and for many years afterward, things were financially tight for us. Instead of buying gifts, I made them. One year I made Christmas tree skirts to give to my sisters and sisters-in-law.

I gathered material scraps and remnants that were green, red, white, or a combination of those colors. Most of the fabrics were not Christmas print. I cut them into simple squares and sewed them together to make the tree skirts. Each skirt had a variety of fabric types.

That year for Christmas, we traveled to my in-laws’ home. Sharon, my sister-in-law, lived nearby, so we went to visit her family and deliver our gifts.

To my dismay, under her tree I saw a beautifully pieced and quilted tree skirt made of Christmas-patterned materials and scalloped edges. Sharon was talented in sewing, quilting, appliquéing, tatting, weaving, and other skills. She had made the skirt earlier that year.

I could not help but compare her beautiful tree skirt to my simple one. I was embarrassed to give it to her. I told her I understood if she didn’t want to use it.

When we opened our gift from Sharon the following year, we were surprised that she had given us the tree skirt I had admired the year before. She had graciously accepted my simple gift and in turn had given us a much nicer gift.

After fighting a physical illness for 12 years, Sharon passed away when she was only 38. A few years ago, as I put her Christmas tree skirt around our tree and thought about her, the tree skirt became symbolic of the gift of the Atonement the Savior offers us. No matter how good we desire to be, we are all mortal, with flaws and weaknesses. We are imperfect, like the simple tree skirt I had given Sharon.

In comparison to the beauty of the Savior’s life, we will always fall short. But if we do our best to offer the Savior a broken heart and a contrite spirit, He in turn offers us the blessings of His beautiful Atonement. We receive something much greater than our gift to Him.

I am grateful for the special reminder of His Atonement the tree skirt has become for me.