June Cotner - Christmas Blessings: Prayers and Poems to Celebrate the Season

THE SIGHTS AND SOUNDS OF CHRISTMAS The sound of joyful church bells Heard from a distant hill, A warm and cozy fireside To chase the winters chill. The jingle of the sleigh bells, A Christmas candles glow, The cherished celebrations Each heart has come to know. A childs anticipation As he peers beneath the tree, And finds the gift he asked for When he sat on Santas knee. The sights and sounds of Christmas Woefully will depart, But the wondrous love of Jesus Can remain within each heart. catherine janssen irwin IF I WERE A CHRISTMAS TREE Id like to be a Christmas tree with pres ents all around; with golden ropes, and silver tinsel hanging to the ground. Id trim my boughs with crystal balls of red and blue and white, and watch them glow and catch the gleam of every Christmas light.

Id wrap myself in candy canes and popcorn balls, and such. And, last, Id have a shining angel for my crowning touch! Then early Christmas morn when little ones, with shouts of joy, rush in to see and claim and treasure every wondrous toy, Id lean my boughs to brush up close and touch each child like this, and place upon each shining cheek my loving Christmas kiss! bonnie compton hanson EVERYWHERE CHRISTMAS Peace on earth Its Christmas; Silent is the night. All about the beauty Earth is dressed in white. Listen; Hear the angels Songs are in the air. Wide eyes shine in wonder Its Christmas everywhere. joan stephen CHRISTMAS COMES EVERYWHERE Finns feast on Christmas Eve; salt fish and potatoes at midnight for the Portuguese, while Germans like their roast goose on Christmas Day.

Grandfather Frost arrives with gifts for Russian children on January 7, while Saint Nicholas delivers to Belgium boys and girls on December 6. In Norway, Julenisse, the Christmas elf, gifts all children on Christmas Eve. Christkindl, a beautiful girl-angel, comes down from heaven bringing bounty to some Austrian towns. Santa Claus slides down our chimneys in scarlet velvet and soot-stained fur, but arrives Down Under on water skis, wearing a beard and bathing trunks. Swedish maidens in candle-lit crowns parade, paying homage to St. Lucia, while the English pull crackers, play charades, and attend pantomimes.

Such different ways to celebrate the one purpose we shareChristmas, the mass of Christ. suzanne c. cole I HEARD THE BELLS ON CHRISTMAS DAY From Christmas Bells I heard the bells on Christmas Day Their old, familiar carols play, And wild and sweet The words repeat Of peace on earth, good-will to men! And thought how, as the day had come The belfries of all Christendom Had rolled along The unbroken song Of peace on earth, good-will to men! Till, ringing, singing on its way, The world revolved from night to day A voice, a chime, A chant sublime Of peace on earth, good-will to men! henry wadsworth longfellow PRAYER FOR THE DANCE May we dance with timbrel, harp, And thank the Lord above For blessing us with bounteous gifts, Emblems of His love. May we dance with tambourine, And give Him highest praise, And leap for joy upon lifes stage, And love Him all our days. norma woodbridge THE SOUND OF MY HEART Wind and rain battle outside. Ive a fire going within, but...

Its Christmas Eve My children are far from home, And the house is too quiet. Dont come, I said. Its too far. Ill be fine. And I am... really...

Just a bit lonely For the sound of little feet And voices raised in song. Over the crash of the storm Comes a knock at the door. In tumble my children and their little ones Filling my world with love and laughter. Thankfully they heard not my words, but my heart. janice m. yuwiler A VISIT FROM ST.

NICHOLAS Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse; The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there; The children were nestled all snug in their beds, While visions of sugar-plums danced through their heads; And Mama in her kerchief, and I in my cap, Had just settled our brains for a long winters nap, When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter, I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter. Away to the window I flew like a flash, Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash. The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow Gave a luster of mid-day to objects below, When, what to my wondering eyes did appear, But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer, With a little old driver so lively and quick, I knew in a moment he must be St. Nick. More rapid than eagles his coursers they came, And he whistled, and shouted, and he called them by name: Now Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen! On, Comet! on, Cupid! on, Donder and Blitzen! To the top of the porch! To the top of the wall! Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away, all! As leaves that before the wild hurricane fly, When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky, So up to the house-top the coursers they flew, With the sleigh full of toys, and St.

Nicholas too And then in a twinkling, I heard on the roof The prancing and pawing of each little hoof. As I drew in my head, and was turning around, Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound. He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot, And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot; A bundle of toys he had flung on his back, And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack. His eyeshow they twinkled! his dimples: how merry! His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry! His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow, And the beard on his chin was as white as the snow; The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth, And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath; He had a broad face and a round little belly That shook when he laughed, like a bowl full of jelly. He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf, And I laughed when I saw him in spite of myself; A wink of his eye and a twist of his head Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread; He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work, And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk, And laying his finger aside of his nose, And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose.

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle, And away they all flew like the down of a thistle. But I heard him exclaim ere he drove out of sight HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO ALL
AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT! clement c. moore (While Clement C. Moore is widely attributed as the author ofA Visit from St. Nicholas, there is currently well-documentedresearch that Henry Livingston Jr. edgar allan poe CHRISTMAS EMBERS The ribbon that ties together the gift of caring is both long and wide. edgar allan poe CHRISTMAS EMBERS The ribbon that ties together the gift of caring is both long and wide.

It ties us together as we share holiday moments and create homemade memories by the fires of family love and special friendship. Its in the noise of celebration that we experience joy and in the serenity of solitude that we find peace; So as the years log burns slowly down, recording remembrances on the parchment of our hearts, We can be thankful to be bound closely together. Individual gifts, warmly wrapped by busy hands, reflect an investment of time and thought; but it is the gift of caring that will most surely endure. trish kaspar TELL ME AGAIN Tell me again the story of Christmas, Sing me the songs a hundred times, I want to remember the beautiful things, Heart wonder and tinsel and rhymes, Trim me a tree and light it with love, Then Bethlehem wont seem far away Give me a manger and give me a star, Then it will be a real Christmas day! marion schoeberlein CHRISTMAS An azure sky, All star bestrewn. A lowly crib, A hushed room. An open door, A hill afar, Where little lambs And shepherds are.

To such a world, On such a night, Came Jesus Little Lord of Light. mary i . THE JOY OF GIVING Somehow, not only for Christmas But all the long year through, The joy that you give to others Is the joy that comes back to you; And the more you spend in blessing The poor and lonely and sad; The more of your hearts possessing Returns to make you glad. john greenleaf whittier