LOGLINE
Annabelle is determined to have a Christmas Tree that lives forever—now if she can just convince her Scroogey father.
PITCH
Christmas really can last all year long—if you have enough courage and determination. Twelve-year-old Annabelle Cunningham wants a Christmas tree, but her father thinks his Santa Claus collection is enough and says the tree must go the day after Christmas. She visits the tree lot with her dad and decorates their choice beautifully. Then, she and her parents celebrate Christmas Eve and Christmas Day together. Defying her father’s threat to chop up and burn the tree, Annabelle plants it right in front of the house with all its decorations. The neighbors gather round the tree, and when her father walks out with his axe, they urge him to put it away. Annabelle vows it’s going to be Christmas all year long. Her father sighs, looks at her and the neighbors in utter disbelief, and retreats. Annabelle celebrates Christmas all year long with appropriate holiday decorations—and eventually so does her formerly Scroogey father.
SYNOPSIS
The determination of 12-year-old Annabelle Cunningham makes Christmas last all year long. She wants a Christmas tree, but her father thinks his Santa Claus collection is enough. Annabelle’s mother reminds her that Mr. Cunningham never celebrated Christmas as a child and asks Annabelle to be kind to her father. As Annabelle and her father drive out to the Christmas tree farm, she hums “O Christmas Tree,” ignoring her father’s humbug. She selects a tall, plump evergreen, and her father suggests a medium-sized tree that can fit in the house. Then, he swings his axe to cut down the medium-sized tree. After the tree falls, the lot manager helped to pull it all the way to the truck on a sled. Annabelle climbs in the front seat, reminding her father not to act like Scrooge.
When Mr. Cunningham stops in the driveway, he threatens to chop the Christmas tree for stove wood, but Annabelle insists it will be the Christmas tree that lives forever. With her mother’s help, she pulls the tree all the way into the living room, attaches a tree stand, waters it and carefully arranges the red tree skirt. Stringing caramel popcorn and cranberries, Annabelle listens to Gene Autry sing “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.” The decorated tree stands proud and tall all Christmas Eve day and Christmas Day. It hovers over the presents. Of course, Annabelle would never give a Christmas gift away. But one year, Mr. Cunningham gave Annabelle a gift she had given him—a singing reindeer head. As her father turns off the lights on the Christmas tree, he reminds her that he is throwing the Christmas tree in the wood stove first thing in the morning. She vows he will not burn her tree.
Early the next morning Annabelle drags the Christmas tree into the front yard and plants it with all its decorations right in front of the house. The neighbors gather round. As Mr. Cunningham yells that the electric bill is going to be enormous, the neighbors all beg him to put his axe away. It’s going to be Christmas all year long. Infuriated, her father sighs, looks at her and the neighbors in utter disbelief, and retreats back inside the house. Annabelle enjoys Christmas all year long with seasonal decorations on the evergreen tree. So does her Scroogey father.
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