Northern Michigan in Focus: Aiden’s Tree

During the holiday season many of us put up our Christmas trees and enjoy them until it’s time to take them down.

For this week’s Northern Michigan in Focus, Corey Adkins tells the story of a Traverse City author who’s trying to teach an important lesson through a book.

“I love to write. I have a sort of a need to write and I write for my grandson a lot just to explain life in general,” said Karen Reiser, author of ‘.’

This story is about a Christmas tree, but not necessarily Christmas.

“When he was four years old I said, ‘Do you want to come with Grandpa and Grandma and recycle our Christmas tree?’ and he was horrified,” explained Karen.

This is a story about the cycle of life. 

“A Christmas tree in his poor little 4-year-old mind is always a Christmas tree, you don’t grind it up. So I spent that long winter writing him his book, ‘Aiden’s Tree,’” said Karen.

It all started out as a project for just her grandson Aiden.

“I also substitute teach and I would take this book in the classroom, read it to students, and they knew I have published before and they said, ‘Mrs. Reiser, you have to publish this book, that is so good,’” said Karen.

The story follows a misfit tree of sorts.

“The tree started out in a tree nursery out of formation and was allowed to grow, and once it grew it provided shelter for the birds and allowed the winds to go through it. But eventually, it needed to be cut down.”

The tree finds its way into Aiden’s house.

“And then my absolutely favorite picture, because it doesn’t look like my grandson, once it was in his house he cared for it and pampered it,” said Karen.

But as time goes so does Christmas. It was time for the tree to move on to the next stage in its life.

“Then they drop it off at Doud’s Market, and then it is put on the Mackinac Bridge,” Karen said.

We’re not going to give anymore of the book away. Karen wants kids and adults to learn from this story.

“This tree was an important part of many lives, not just his. We could go back to the birds that nested in it and then this lifesaving job it did on the ice bridge,” explained Karen.

The circle of life learned from a little misfit tree.

“As human beings, we often don’t see the importance of the nature around us and I’d like to appreciate that and the wonder of Michigan. Michigan is a very special place,” said Karen.

And so is her grandson Aiden.