The first entry in my new notebook, written with my new fountain pen. Both are Christmas gifts from my daughter. I have decided to dedicate this notebook to trees. The Yew tree is probably the oldest tree in Europe. and a rich source of folklore as well as poisons which are now being used to develop drugs for cancer.

Wrap me a present in paper plain,
Not covered with a Christmas scene.
Wrap me a present tied with twine,
Not sticky tape nor ribbon wound.

Wrap me a present without a bow,
Tied with a knot that will hold true.
Wrap me a present without a card,
A silent gift without a word.

Then place my gift beneath the Yew,
Deep in the woods were we would go.
And I’ll return  on Christmas Eve
To find my gift beneath the tree.

And I will take it home again.
I’ll open it and find within
Paper with a festive scene,
Ribbon with a satin shine,

A card without a word, left blank
To give me time and space to think.
And I shall use your gift to me
To wrap a gift from me to you.

And it shall hold such precious words,
A poem penned within the card. 
And I’ll return it to the wood
To bury it there, where once you stood.