Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas.

By M. D. Sterling.

(Seven boys and seven girls with good voices and some sprightliness of manner are required. Each carries a wand, to the upper end of which is fastened an evergreen wreath surrounding a large, gilt letter. Ranged in order the letters will spell the word "Merry Christmas." The verse for each is sung to the air, " Buy a Broom." The children enter only one at a time, using a polka step, boys and girls alternately. While singing they take steps and wave wand in time to music. At third line of each stanza the boys bow and the girls make a courtesy, right and left. The chorus at the end of each verse is sung by the entire school. The boy with letter M comes in first, sings, and takes position on platform. He is followed by the girl with E. So continue until the line of children is complete.)

First boy:
M stands for merry -- oh ' let us be merry ;
M stands for merry -- right merry am I.
(Bowing.) With a bow to the right, sir, and a bow to the
left, sir,
Come, now, and be merry, all sadness defy.

Chorus (by school, to the refrain of " Buy a Broom"). --
Christmas dear now draws near,
With song and with evergreen welcome it here.

First girl:
E stands for evergreen, beautiful evergreen,
E stands for evergreen, never to fade.
(Courtesying.) With a courtesy to right, sir, and a courtesy to left, sir,
Bring evergreen garlands for Christmas time made.--Cho.

Second boy:
R stands for rollicking -- come, then, be rollicking ;
R stands for rollicking -- fun's in the air!
With a bow to the right, sir, and a bow to the left, sir,
In Christmas-day rollicking take now a share. -- Cho.

Second girl:
R stands for rally, a grand Christmas rally,
R stands for rally, where Christmas trees grow !
With a courtesy to right, sir, and a courtesy to left, sir,
We rally where Santa is likely to go. -- Cho.

Third boy:
Y stands for youthful -- rejoice, now, all youthful ;
Y stands for youthful -- quite youthful am I.
With a bow to the right, sir, and a bow to the left, sir,
The youthful make merry when Christmas is nigh. -- Cho.

(Leave a space in the line of children between the last letter of " Merry ' and the first of " Christmas.")

Third girl:
C stands for Christmas -- bright Christmas, merry Christmas;
C stands for Christmas -- the best of the year.
With a courtesy to right, sir, and a courtesy to left, sir,
Make merry at Christmas with good Christmas cheer. -- Cho.

Fourth boy:
H stands for happy -- at Christmas be happy !
H stands for happy -- right happy am I.
With a bow to the right sir, and a bow to the left, sir,
If you would be happy some Christmas gifts buy -- Cho.

Fourth girl:
R stands for ready -- for Christmas be ready ;
R stands for ready -- are you ready yet?
With a courtesy to right, sir, and a courtesy to left, sir.
To make ready for Christmas, oh ! uever forget. -- Cho.

Fifth boy:
I stands for icy -- for winter so icy ;
I stands for icy, when Kris drives along.
With a bow to the right, sir, and a bow to the left, sir,
Though icy the weather we'll give him a song. -- Cho.

Fifth girl:
S stands for Santa -- the children's own Santa ;
S stands for Santa, the jolly old dear.
With a courtesy to right, sir, and a courtesy to left, sir,
For Santy to fill we hang stockings each year. -- Cho.

Sixth boy:
T stands for thoughtful -- of all friends be thoughtful ;
T stands for thoughtful -- your presents prepare.
With a bow to the right, sir. and a bow to the left, sir,
And be thoughtful those poorer than you have a share. -- Cho.

Sixth girl:
M stands for magic -- for Christmas-night magic;
M stands for magic filling stockings and tree.
With a courtesy to right, sir, and a courtesy to left, sir,
Who does this fine magic, can any agree? -- Cho.

Seventh boy:
A stands for all of us, old and young, all of us;
A stands for all of us looking for Kris.
With a bow to the right, sir, and a bow to the left, sir.
And all of us hope that not one will he miss. -- Cho.

Seventh girl:
S stands for -smiling -- on Christmas morn smiling ;
S stands for smiling -- all smiling I'll be.
With a courtesy to right, sir, and a courtesy to left, sir,
All smiling, yes, smiling, when presents I see. -- Cho.

(The following verses are to be sung by the school to the air, "Wait for the Wagon." During the singing of the first stanza and chorus, the fourteen boys and girls divide off into couples and march around, elevating and lowering the wands in time to music. During the second stanza they form two opposite lines, with wands crossed overhead, couples marching under the arches formed and back again to places. Third stanza, the opposite lines pass forward and back, cross to other side, partners passing each other, then back once more, and turn partners into place in a line forming " Merry Christmas" again.)

Oh, Christmas, merry Christmas!

Thy call we must obey,

And carry fadeless garlands

In honor of the day.

Chorus {to be sung after each verse). --

All hail, merry Christmas!

Hail, merry Christmas!

All hail, merry Christmas,

The evergreen day.

Oh, Christmas, merry Christmas !

With laughter, song, and play,

How gayly pass the hours

Of that dear, happy day. -- Chorus.

Oh, Christmas, merry Christmas!

Quite old, but never gray,

Like thy own joys, unfading,

The wreath we bring to-day. -- Chorus.