The Christmas Tree as a Symbol of Family and Belonging
Overview
The Christmas tree is a central visual and emotional anchor in the recurring holiday scenes of Hasini Somawardhana's Unknown. While the tree itself is not described in minute detail in the provided text, its presence is implied through the family gatherings that take place around it. More importantly, the tree functions as a symbol of tradition, home, and the gradual merging of two very different lives. This analysis traces how the Christmas tree motif evolves from a marker of separate childhood traditions to a shared space where Henry and Alex build their own blended family.
The Christmas Tree in the Text
The evidence shows two key Christmas scenes. The first is Christmas 2022, their first since Alex moved into Henry's brownstone. Henry attempts a yule log cake while the house fills with family: both of Alex's parents, Henry's mother, June, Nora, Bea, Pez, Shaan and Zahra on speakerphone, even Henry's body double Angus. The scene overflows with warmth, laughter, and mishaps—a cracked cake, mistletoe kisses, silly songs. The Christmas tree is not explicitly mentioned, but the details of "Christmas crackers," mulled wine, and a piano sing-along strongly imply a decorated tree as the focal point of the living room. The second Christmas reference comes in the form of a New Year's Eve 2024 scene where it snows, suggesting the continuation of their holiday traditions.
The omission of a literal tree description may be intentional: the tree becomes less important as a physical object than as a stage for the relationships that gather around it. What matters is not the tinsel or lights, but the people.
Symbolic Evolution
From Separate Traditions to Shared Space
Before the narrative time of the book, both Henry and Alex had their own family Christmas traditions. Henry's childhood Christmases involved formal royal obligations—letters to Father Christmas requesting leather-bound journals, pheasant hunts with dreadful uncles. Alex's Christmases likely centered on his mother Ellen's storytelling (about his bike accident) and the casual warmth of the Claremont-Diaz household.
When the couple hosts Christmas dinner for the first time in 2022, they create a third tradition that blends elements from both worlds. The guest list includes not only blood relatives but also chosen family: Pez, Nora, Shaan, and even the body double Angus. The tree—if present—becomes the physical center of this new, inclusive circle. It is no longer a symbol of either man's past, but of their present union.
The Tree as a Site of Cumulative Belonging
The Christmas tree also mirrors the theme of love as a cumulative choice. Each year the couple adds new ornaments—literal or figurative—representing their shared experiences: the UT pennant and Chelsea scarf on the wall, the recipe from June, the Stetson hat given on New Year's Eve. The tree becomes a repository of memories, much like the brownstone itself. When they eventually decide to move to a lake house in Texas, they carry that sense of home with them, suggesting that the tree's symbolic meaning is portable.
Character Connections
Henry Fox-Mountchristen-Windsor
For Henry, the Christmas tree represents the ordinary domesticity he was denied as a royal. Growing up, he was rarely permitted in kitchens and had no hand in decorating. The act of hosting Christmas—including, presumably, decorating the tree—is a form of reclaiming his life. The tree stands in contrast to the formality of his childhood, where pomp often replaced intimacy. His insistence on making a yule log from scratch, even when it fails, shows his investment in crafting a home.
Alex Claremont-Diaz
Alex brings his own brand of casual, loud family love to the Christmas tree. He teases Henry about the cake, mutters about the body double, and eventually carries their traditions forward. For Alex, the tree is not a symbol of duty but of pleasure. He is the one who suggests playing Mario Party, who jokes about bottomless chips and salsa, who makes the tree feel lived-in rather than perfect. His presence transforms the tree into a space of laughter rather than obligation.
Bea, Pez, and the Extended Family
The secondary characters also interact with the tree's symbolism. Bea pushes Henry behind the piano; Pez rewrites carol lyrics about lactose intolerance; Nora and June kiss under the mistletoe, a Christmas plant often hung near the tree. These moments show that the tree is not just for Henry and Alex—it is a communal gathering point where all their loved ones feel welcome. The body double Angus, initially an outsider, is invited to join, reinforcing that the tree's circle expands to include anyone in need of a home.
Theme Connections
Home and Belonging
The Christmas tree is the ultimate symbol of home. In the text, "home" is a word that recurs through the chapter: the brownstone becomes "their brownstone," the lake house waits for them, and June will sublet the space after they leave. The tree anchors these physical spaces, making them feel like sanctuaries. It is a visual shorthand for belonging.
Domesticity Versus Duty
Henry's choice to spend Christmas cooking, cleaning, and hosting rather than attending royal events is a small rebellion against duty. The tree represents domesticity over formality. It is a place where the private life takes precedence over public obligations. The fact that the paparazzi still follow him, and that he needs a body double, underscores the tension—but the tree remains a protected zone where he can be himself.
Memory and Trauma
The tree also holds memories of loss. Henry's father Arthur died years before the narrative, but his presence is felt during the Christmas scene when Henry recalls his father saying "Whoever you marry, Henry, make sure they think your mum is a laugh." The tree becomes a link to the past, healing rather than haunting. It allows Henry to imagine his father’s approval of Alex.
Love as Cumulative Choice
The Christmas tree is not static; it gains meaning through repeated choices. Each year the couple intentionally gathers family, overcomes obstacles, and builds on their shared history. The tree is a testament to their decision to keep choosing each other, year after year.
Mental Health
Henry struggles with depression throughout the story. The Christmas scene shows him actively engaging in life—cooking, hosting, laughing—as a form of resistance to his illness. The tree provides structure and purpose, a reason to get out of bed. It is a small but significant tool in his mental health toolkit.
Study Questions with Answers
1. How does the Christmas tree symbolize the blending of Henry and Alex's families in the text?
The tree is the physical center of the Christmas 2022 gathering, which includes all three of Alex's parents, Henry's mother, their friends, and even a body double. By hosting this diverse group around the tree, Henry and Alex create a new tradition that merges their separate backgrounds—royal formality and Texan warmth—into one space. The tree becomes a symbol of the blended family they are building.
2. In what way does the failed yule log cake connect to the theme of domesticity versus duty?
Henry's attempt to make a yule log, despite his lack of cooking skills, represents his desire for a normal domestic life far removed from royal duties. The cake cracks and fails, but the family eats it anyway with spoons, showing that perfection is not required for belonging. The tree (implied as the backdrop) reinforces that domesticity is about effort and love, not flawless execution.
3. How does the Christmas tree motif relate to Henry's character arc regarding home and belonging?
Early in his life, Henry's home was a palace full of obligations. Through the Christmas scenes, he creates his own home with Alex. The tree is a visual anchor of that transformation—first in the brownstone, later in the lake house. It symbolizes that home is a feeling he can carry with him, not a place defined by birth.
4. Why might the author choose not to describe the Christmas tree in detail, focusing instead on the people around it?
By leaving the tree undescribed, the author shifts emphasis from the object to the relationships it hosts. The tree becomes a universal symbol rather than a specific, ornamental one. Readers can project their own memories of Christmas trees onto the scene, making the theme of belonging more inclusive. The tree matters not for its appearance but for the family it gathers.