The First Tree in the Greenwood

Alice is gearing up for Christmas again. Feeling like there may not be many left while Ben and Holly both 'still believe', it's all systems go with celebrations and decorations, and preparing for a fun, festive and noisy family Christmas with a full house. But life, it seems, has other ideas, as a nasty winter bug moves in and starts to do the rounds, beginning with Alice's mum and dad. Trying to make sure they are OK whilst also avoiding the germs herself, Alice secretly fears for a miserable Christmas of sore throats and runny noses, but this turns out to be the least of her worries. For a start, Sam's daughter Sophie is having some problems of her own but keeping them close to her chest. Then there are the calls from Canada to deal with as an increasingly impatient and exasperated Julie is desperate for her baby to come before the big day. Events transpire to remind Alice of the fragility of life and, exhausted, she recalls a difficult childhood Christmas and the lengths her parents went to just for her. Can she summon the strength she needs to make her family's Christmas as magical as hers always were - and maybe even enjoy it herself?A shorter-than-normal chapter in this much-loved series, The First Tree in the Greenwood was written for Christmas 2025, and paves the way for more to come in 2026!