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I have to confess that I like the old fashioned style
of Christmas the best. The celebration of the birth of Jesus, the old St.
Nicholas legends, the beautiful music, and the smells coming from the kitchen
bring me an inner peace and joy that somehow are never equaled any other
time of the year. This is the season for peace on Earth and good will
toward men. It's a time of sharing and giving. I'd like to share with you my
most favorite parts of Yuletide. Merry Christmas!
I've got a batch of cookies to take out of the oven, so you
just make yourself at home!
What Christmas Means
to Me
If I had to choose one moment in my life
where I really understood the true meaning of Christmas, it would
have to be one wintry night when I was about seven years old. I remember
watching "A Charlie Brown Christmas" and when Linus came
to the stage, and read from the book of Luke, for the first time I saw
past the presents and the tinsel and felt the real joy of the season. In
the spirit of Christmas, I'd like to take a moment and share that passage
with you.
IN THE AUDITORIUM, CHARLIE BROWN AND LINUS ARE STAGE
RIGHT, AND THE REST OF THE PEANUTS GANG ARE STAGE LEFT
CHARLIE BROWN: I guess I really don't know what Christmas is all about.
SHOUTS
Isn't there anybody who knows what Christmas is all about?
LINUS: Sure Charlie Brown, I can tell you what Christmas is all about.
WALKS TO CENTER STAGE
Lights please.
LIGHTS GO DOWN, SPOTLIGHT ON LINUS AS HE RECITES LUKE 2:8-14
And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping
watch over their flock by night.
And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord
shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings
of great joy, which shall be to all people.
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is
Christ the Lord.
And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling
clothes, lying in a manger.
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host
praising God, and saying,
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
LIGHTS COME BACK UP AS LINUS WALKS BACK
That's what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.
A VISIT FROM ST. NICHOLAS
by Clement Clarke Moore
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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 in their heads;
And mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled down for a long winter's nap,
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the 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 the luster of mid-day to objects below,
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer,
With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and 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 dry 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 hand, 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 eyes -- how 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 of 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 little round belly,
That shook, when he laughed like a bowlful 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.'
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I received a lovely email from a gentleman named Michael
Christie. He visited this page and loved what he saw here. Michael told me
he's a retired teacher, living in Vancouver. He kindly shared with me story
he wrote, and gave me permission to share it with you!
2001: Exciting news from Michael! His story of Olive is being
published! Here
is the link to the Amazon location of his book. It would make a
great Christmas gift!
2002: MORE exciting news! Michael's book has been
transformed into an animated feature!!! Drew Barrymore provides the voice of
Olive. Congratulations Michael, I can't wait to see it!
Here's the story of a reindeer you might not have heard about :)
 Olive,
The Orphan Reindeer
Just for fun...Can
you guess the Christmas songs?
- Move hitherward the entire assembly of those who are loyal in their
belief
- Embellish interior passageways
- Vertically challenged adolescent percussionist
- Natal celebration devoid of color as a hallucinatory phenomenon for
me
- Majestic triplet referred to in the first person plural
- Twelve o'clock on a clement night witnessed its arrival
- Soundless nocturnal period
- The Yuletide occurrence preceding all others
- Precious metal musical devices
- Omnipotent supreme being who elicits respite to ecstatic distinguished
males
- Caribou with vermilion olfactory appendage
- Allow crystalline formations to descend
- Jovial yuletide desired for the second person singular or plural by
us
- Bipedal traveling through an amazing acreage during the period between
December 21st and March 21st
- Exclamatory remark concerning a diminutive municipality in Judea southwest
of Jerusalem
Answers: See below.
1.O Come All Ye Faithful
2.Deck the Halls
3.The Little Drummer Boy
4.I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas
5.We Three Kings
6. It Came Upon a Midnite Clear
7.Silent Night
8.The First Noel
9.Silver Bells
10.God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
11.Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer
12.Let It Snow
13.We Wish You A Merry Christmas
14.Walking In A Winter Wonderland
15.O Little Town of Bethlehem
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CHRISTMAS
SONGS
