Deep in the forest, a restless little fir tree spends his days yearning to be tall and grand, barely noticing the sunlight or the fresh air. His dream finally comes true when he is chosen as a Christmas tree, decorated in gold and candles for one spectacular evening of glory. However, the celebration is fleeting; he is soon cast into a dark attic and eventually reduced to ashes, realizing too late that while he was busy waiting for his life to begin, he had missed the beauty of living it.