The Christmas Tree

The Christmas Tree was a 1958 television event from Hallmark Hall of Fame that NBC aired on December 14, 1958. Rather than a single story, the program stitches together a sequence of short sketches and vignettes that evoke a snowy holiday mood, drawing loosely from Charles J Finger's short story An Affair at the Inn. The result is a warm, ensemble driven piece in which familiar stage and screen names perform in characterful mini scenes, sometimes interlaced with light songs and small sketches on skates. Ralph Bellamy plays Theron, Ellen Burstyn is Elizabeth, Margaret Hamilton is Miss Finch, with Maurice Evans guiding the frame as Narrator. Cyril Ritchard also appears in a skating sequence. The program keeps an intimate tone even with its star power and episodic form.

Directed by Kirk Browning, this Hallmark Hall of Fame production centers on Charles J Finger's An Affair at the Inn. It aired on NBC on December 14, 1958 and features Ralph Bellamy, Ellen Burstyn, Margaret Hamilton and Carol Channing.

Box office data isn’t applicable here since this is a network television special from 1958. There are no published worldwide grosses or sales figures for a TV anthology like this.

Even though it is obscure today, The Christmas Tree reflects Hallmark Hall of Fame's early tradition of turning holiday material into star driven TV events. Its format blends sketches with live performances, reflecting a time when theater and television shared a single stage. It invites viewers to savor festive moments and celebrate collaboration over competition.

Reception and themes: Contemporary viewers would likely have seen this as a light hearted seasonal showcase that emphasizes community, generosity and memory over plot twists. The ensemble cast and the variety format give the episode a sense of celebration, while the Christmas setting and musical interludes underscore a nostalgic mood that matches Hallmark's holiday branding of the era.