Keeping it simple with a 'Night Tree'

Kindergartners Matthew Nichols, wearing his favorite cowboy hat, reaches high to hang his wildlife ornament while Emily Alberts searches for that perfect spot. (Lorri Sughroue/McCook Daily Gazette)

Birds, squirrels and other outdoor animals will be making a bee-line to Marti and Roger Siebrandt's backyard this winter.

A giant blue spruce in their backyard is covered with about 110 necklaces made from rings of fruit-flavored cereal strung on yarn, thanks to the efforts of kindergartners at McCook Elementary and Marti's annual reading of "Night Tree."

The book tells the story of a family making food ornaments for wildlife, with the ornaments later placed on a tree outside. At night, the animals creep up to the tree so they get a Christmas treat, too.

Marti Siebrandt reads "The Night Tree" McCook Elementary kindergarteners. (Lorri Sughroue/McCook Daily Gazette) [Click to enlarge]

Marti started the tradition of reading the book to children and decorating the tree about 10 years ago, with her daughter's kindergarten class. A substitution teacher, Marti said she has still has older students come up and remind her of the activity.

"My kids are too old to do it now, so the kindergarten classes come over and keep the tradition going," she said. "It's a fun thing to do and I enjoy the kids."

As they live just outside of town, plenty of wildlife can be seen in their backyard, Marti tells the children, such as deer, fox, mice, owls, even possum or skunk. Remnants of the Christmas ornaments are still visible later in the year, Marti added, as in the summer she will see nests interwoven with the brightly colored yarn.

The food is always eaten and when there is snow on the ground, tiny tracks of animals are visible coming to and from the tree.

It's not only the animals who appreciate the ornaments. Each year after Christmas, McCook Elementary kindergarten teacher Bev Klein asks the children what their favorite activity was during the holiday season and the ornaments are always mentioned.

"We do a lot of things each year, but this is something the kids always say they like the best," she said. "Maybe with the hoopla of Christmas, something simple like this just stands out."