The fir tree - medium - gold-plated

This Christmas tree is made of gilded brass, is 15 cm tall and is by Nordahl Andersen.

The figure is based on Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale ‘The Fir Tree’ and his beautiful paper cut-outs.

The illustration of the Christmas tree features a star at the top. The original cut-out is in two layers and folded in the middle so that it can stand upright, with Christmas elves and geese at the bottom.

The Fairy Tale of the Fir Tree

The fairy tale contains a message that extends beyond the story itself: Remember to cherish your life here and now! Do not believe that your happiness lies in the future! Although on the surface the story is about the short life of a fir tree, it is thus also about our own brief time on earth – and about how personal vanity can stand in the way of experiencing the fullness of life that the moment has to offer. ‘Gone! Gone,’ says the fir tree, as it lies withered and brown in a corner of the farmyard at the end of the story: ‘If only I’d enjoyed myself whilst I could! Gone! Gone!’