the giving tree.

Posted by maddie at 3:54 PM


we have a christmas tree here at work and on it are tags with childrens ages and genders. you are to take a tag and buy a gift for a well deserving child and our company will then donate all the gifts and several food baskets to a local charity. the tree is called 'the giving tree' and as soon as i heard that i knew exactly what gift i was going to give.

as i excitedly told a colleague about my bright idea, she gave me a total deer-caught-in-headlights look as she had never even heard the delightful story that has warmed my heart for so many years.

the Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein is one of my most favorite childhood books and i thought this would be the perfect gift to give a child so i choose a tag for a girl aged 7-9. i also adored his other books, Where the Sidewalks End and A Light in the Attic.

i then asked two other colleagues if they knew of the story, or of the other two books, and sadly, neither of them had. i couldn't believe it! is it just me? does no one else know these wonderful books? please tell me you know them! i started to doubt myself if getting this book would be a good idea. would the child think i was an idiot for buying a book instead of a toy?

i'm so sad that kids these days have so many plastic toys, cartoons, video games and other things that preoccupy their minds when they could be playing outdoors or reading a good book instead.

 

6 Comments:

  1. Maggie Ginsberg-Schutz said...
    5:46 PM  
    I loved loved LOVED Shel Silverstein. I can still quote my favorite poem by heart:

    There are too many kids in this tub.
    There are too many elbows to scrub.
    I just washed a behind that I'm sure wasn't mine
    There are too many kids in this tub.

    And you can bet my girls have every single one of his books, so don't fear. Together you and I will keep the tradition alive. :)
    Valley Girl said...
    7:12 PM  
    Agreed!
    Sally said...
    5:09 AM  
    Of course I know Shel Silverstein! What are these people who have never heard of him?? That's crazy!

    I want to go buy all the books for myself now...I mean, for Little Major -- no, really for me, and the baby can enjoy them, too!

    That's an awesome gift idea, Shell! But, you ALWAYS come up with the best gift ideas!
    Alison at Wardrobe Oxygen said...
    6:13 AM  
    I too know that book, love it and all of the rest of Shel Silverstein's books! They are a great gift for adults and children alike - I remember my mom got a copy of The Giving Tree when she retired from heading the county school's Volunteer Program and all the other volunteers wrote their well wishes inside the covers. What a wonderful memento, I look forward to a time when I could do the same for someone!
    Gina said...
    10:27 PM  
    They are all wonderful books, and no, you aren't the only one that likes them!
    Anonymous said...
    5:06 PM  
    I absolutely love Shel Silverstein and all his books. I just bought all 3 of the books you mentioned here plus Runny Babbit for my friend who is about to have a baby. She wanted to start the baby a library. And these books were some of the best memories from my childhood and I wanted my friend's kid to have that. You are doing a good thing by buying these books.

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