The Heavenly Christmas Tree

Who doesn't love the magic of Christmas? Waiting for presents and enjoying the taste of the delicious food? Though the poor can't afford all this they still have the closeness of their families to treasure, unless that family is now dead! 'The Heavenly Christmas Tree' is a short story by Dostoevsky that very much resembles Hans Christian Andersen's 'The Little Match Girl'. In St. Petersburg, on Christmas Eve, a poor boy wakes up in a damp and gloomy cellar, oblivious to the tragedy that has befallen his poverty-stricken family. The boy's meandering through the cold, empty streets while looking thorugh windows into the warm interiors of houses depicts a rather horrific and shiveringly depressive picture of sadness and inevitability. The story offers sharp social criticism and speaks for the voiceless. Above all, it remains a compelling and unforgettable short read.