The main character in the story is a young Jewish girl named Robin. She is unhappy that, unlike her neighbors, her family does not have a Christmas tree. She is confused because her friend Sandy Goldstein, who is also Jewish, has a Christmas tree at her house, although she calls it a Hanukkah bush. Robin's mother tries to explain to her that different people approach being Jewish in different ways. Unlike Sandy Goldstein's parents, Robin's mother does not find it acceptable to have a tree in her house in December.