A Christmas Wish

A CHRISTMAS WISH

So it happens every year-
Always has, as yet-
Such a lot of things we want,
And so few we get.
Always happens; always will;
Don't know who's to blame.
Wish you all a very merry
Christmas, just the same.

Best of All

 Best of All

From out its wreaths so bright and big
There fell a shining holly sprig,
With cheery little rustling sound
One of my story-books it crown's.
I looked to see which one it chose-
Now, which of all would you suppose?
There, in the dusk of Christmas dim,
It rested over Tiny Tim.

The Christmas Pines

THE CHRISTMAS PINES

Lovely, lovely, lovely pine trees,
All laden now with snow;
Old Santa Clans will need some helpers.
When the stormy north winds blow;
Oh, spread out your branches;
Come, sing now if you please;
Happy, happy times are coming,
And you will be Christmas trees.

A Christmas Song

 

A CHRISTMAS SONG 

Sing a song of Christmas;
A stocking full of toys;
Such a lot of presents,
For all good girls and boys;
When the stocking's opened,
The presents you shall see‚-
Isn't that a merry time
For little ones like me? 

(This song may be sung with the old tune, "Four and Twenty Black Birds")

A Christmas Jingle

 A CHRISTMAS JINGLE
Susie M. Best
 
Clack, click, clack;
It's Santa Claus and his great big pack!
Click, clack, click;
Oh, how awful if he should stick!
Skop, skip, skop;
What if he and his pack should drop!
Skip, skop, skip;
He must be black from toe to tip!
Clang, cling, clang;
Look, look, look, where the stockings hang!
Cling, clang, cling;
Hear the bells on his reindeer ring!
Ha, ho, ha;
We won't tell what it was we saw!
Ho, ha, ho;
We've found out and we know; we know!

Jimmie's Letter To Santa

 JIMMIE'S LETTER TO SANTA

Dear Santa Claus: If you could bring
A patent doll to dance and sing;
A five-pound box of caramels;
A set of reins with silver bells;
An elephant that roars and walks;
A Brownie droll that laughs and talks;
A humming top that I can spin;
A desk to keep my treasures in;
A boat or two that I can sail;
A dog to bark and wag his tail;
A pair of little bantam chicks;
A chest of tools, a box of tricks;
A scarlet suit of soldier togs;
A Noah's ark of cats and dogs;
A bicycle and silver watch;
A pound or two of butter-scotch;
A small toy farm with lots of trees;
A gun to load with beans and peas;
An organ and a music-box;
A double set of building-blocks-
If you will bring me these, I say,
Before the coming of the day,
I sort of think perhaps that I'd
Be pretty nearly satisfied.

His Letter

 

His Letter
by T. B. Weaver

I wrote a neat little letter to jolly Saint Nick;
Neither papa nor mamma could read it - that's true;
I could read it right off, very easy and quick.
I think I'm much smarter than they are; don't you?

A Christmas Secret

 A CHRISTMAS SECRET

Christmas is a time of secrets,
So I'll whisper one to you;
Grandpa says that all who try it
Find that every word is true:
"Would you have a happy day?
Give some happiness away."

Grandpa says this little secret
Should be carried through the year;
And if all would try to heed it
Earth would soon be full of cheer.
"Would you have a happy day?
Give some happiness away."

Christmas In The Heart

CHRISTMAS IN THE HEART

It is Christmas in the mansion,
Yule-log fires and silken frocks;
It is Christmas in the cottage,
Mothers filling little socks;
It is Christmas on the highway,
In the thronging, busy mart;
But the dearest, truest Christmas
Is the Christmas in the heart.

The Toys He Doesn't Like

 THE TOYS HE DOESN'T LIKE

I have no use for iron toys,
Or linen books - can't bear 'em;
They're aggravating things for boys,
For I can't break or tear 'em.

The Turkey's Lament

THE TURKEY'S LAMENT

A merry Christmas, did you say?
I wonder how you'd feel
If you were going to be killed
To make a Christmas meal!

Why can't you eat nice fresh green grass?
Or feed upon some hay?
I'm sure it would be quite as good,
And more humane, I say.

The ducks and geese upon the farm
All quite agree with me;
And think it time to put a stop
To such barbarity.

We talked together late last night,
And think the wisest plan
Would be for us to take your place,
And just to kill a man.

And then perhaps you'd understand
A little how we feel,
And vegetarian diet choose,
To make your Christmas meal.

When Santa Claus Comes

When Santa Claus Comes

Have you seen dear Santa Claus anywhere to-day ?
I should be so very glad if he'd come this way:
When I see him I shall say with a bow like this, (1) 
If you will my stocking fill you shall have a kiss.

Have you seen dear Santa Claus anywhere to-day ?
I should be so very glad if he'd come this way;
When I see him I shall say with a smile like this, (2)
If you will my stocking fill you shall have a kiss.

Have you seen dear Santa Claus anywhere to-day?
I should be so very glad if he'd come this way;
When I see him I shall say with a hose like this. (3)
If you will my stocking fill you shall have a kiss.

1. Makes a pretty bow. 
2. Makes a pretty smile. 
3. Holds up a very large stocking which had been concealed until now.
   

Christmas Secrets

Christmas Secrets

I tell mine all to Grandma,
And she tells hers to me,
And we have just the mostest fun
That ever you did see.

Each time I get a new one,
I whisper in her ear,
And Grandma whispers back again,
And laughs and says, "Dear ! Dear!'

But I've one now I have to keep.
I can't tell her, you see.
I wonder - do you 'spose she might
Be keeping one from me?

Saint Nick

Saint Nick.

By M. N. B.

(For the youngest pupil to recite.)

When cold the winds blow,

And comes the white snow,

Then look out for good Saint Nick.

He comes in a sleigh

From miles, miles away,

And vanishes very quick.

Christmas Questions

Christmas Questions.

By Wolstan Dtxey.

(At the three last words the speaker raises her finger impressively.)

How old is Santa Claus? Where does he keep?

And why does he come when I am asleep?

His hair is so white in the pictures I know,

Guess he stands on his head all the time in the snow.

But if he does that, then why don't he catch cold?

He must be as much as, --most twenty years old.

I'd just like to see him once stand on his head,

And dive down the chimney, as grandmother said.

Why don't his head get all covered with black?

And if he comes head first, how can he get back?

Mamma knows about it, but she wont tell me.

I shall keep awake Christmas eve, then I can see.

I have teased her to tell me, but mamma she won't,

So I'll find out myself now; see if I don't.

A Catastrophe

A Catastrophe

By Susie M. Best.

If old Kriss Kringle should forget

To travel Christmas eve,

I tell you now, I think next day

The Little folks would grieve.

There wouldn't be a single toy,

A single box or book,

And not a bit of candy in

Their stockings when they'd look.

Because, you see, Kriss Kringle has

A "corner " on these things,

'Tis he, and he alone, who in

The night our presents brings.

Then let us all try to avert

This sad catastrophe,

And hope Kriss Kringle may at least

Remember you and me.

Merry, Merry Christmas

Merry, Merry Christmas.

By Carine L. Rose

(Over the platform against the wall hang the words " Merry, Merry Christmas." They may be simply made of dark-colored pasteboard twelve inches high, or the cardboard may be covered with red berries and evergreen. The five children who recite in turn point to the words whenever they speak them.)

First child: Oh! " merry, merry Christmas,"

Blithely let us sing,

And " merry, merry Christmas,"

Let the church-bells ring.

Lo ! the little stranger,

Smiling in the manger

Is the King of Kings.

Second child: Oh! "merry, merry Christmas,"

Weave in fragrant green,

And " merry, merry Christmas,"

In holly-berries' sheen.

Opened heaven's portals,

That by favored mortals

Angels might be seen.

Third child: Oh! "merry, merry Christmas,"

Carol bright and gay,

For " merry, merry Christmas "

Is the Children's day ;

Morning stars revealing

Shepherds humbly kneeling

Where the Christ child lay.

Fourth child: Oh! " merry, merry Christmas,"

Day of sacred mirth ;

Oh! merry, merry Christmas,"

Sing the Saviour's birth.

Christ, the high and holy,

Once so meek and lowly,

Came from heaven to earth.

Fifth child: Oh! "merry, merry Christmas,"

Shout the happy sound,

Till " merry, merry Christmas,"

Spreads the world around ;

Wonderful the story,

Unto God may glory

Evermore abound.

A Christmas Gift

A Christmas Gift.

By Mabel L. Pray.

It seems that dear old. Santa Claus

One day in old November

Received a note from Dottie D --,

With words and phrases tender,

In which she asked the dear old man,

With many words of warning,

To bring her a new Paris doll

On the next Christmas morning.

Just as he started for his sleigh

One eve, in old December,

He turned to Mistress Santa Claus

And said, " Did you remember

About that fine new Paris doll

For wee Dot in the city?

I must not fail to take that gift,

'Twould be a dreadful pity."

It was early in the morning,

One day in old December;

A very happy, joyous day

That children all remember,

When Santa, on his mission fleet,

To the nursery came creeping,

And left the fine new Paris doll

Among the others, sleeping.

The holly and the mistletoe

Were bright this winter morning;

One stocking filled from top to toe

The mantel was adorning.

A Christmas tree hung full with gifts,

While underneath, reposing

On an upholstered rocking chair,

The Paris doll was dozing.

Then suddenly from out the gloom

Dot's other dolls came peeping,

Their hair uncombed, their dresses torn,

And noses red with weeping;

They talked in whispers soft and low,

But tones that grew quite scornful,

About the fate that was to greet

This stranger, sad and mournful.

There were Annabel and Bessie,

That came one cold December;

They hobbled round with broken backs

From falling on the fender.

Then Tommy, Grace, and baby Ruth,

All came one birthday party,

And Rose and Don a year ago,

With Santa Claus so hearty.

They all assembled round the tree,

And then with manners shocking

They pinched and shook the Paris doll,

And cried in words so mocking ‚--

"Why, don't you know, you stupid thing,

Dot won't care for another,

She has received this Christmas morn

A dear, sweet baby brother!"

A Christmas Thought

A Christmas Thought.

by Lucy Larcom

(To be recited with carefu regard to smoothness, without a sing-song effect. )

Oh Christmas is coming again, you say,

And you long fcr the thing; he is bringing;

But the costliest gift may not gladden the day,

Nor help on the merry bells ringing

Some getting is losing, you understand,

Some hoarding is far from saving;

What you hold in your hand may slip from your hand;

There is something better than having;

We are richer for what we give;

And only by giving we live.

Your last year's presents are scattered and gone;

You have almost forgot who gave them;

But the loving thoughts you bestow live on

As long as you choose to have them.

Love, love is your riches, though ever so poor;

No money can buy that treasure;

Yours always, from robber and rust secure,

Your own, without stint or measure:

It is only love that we can give;

It is only by loving we live.

For who is it smiles through the Christmas morn --

The Light of the wide creation?

A dear little Child in a stable born,

Whose love is the world's salvation.

He was poor on earth, but He gave us all

That can make our life worth the living;

And happy the Christmas day we call

That is spent, for His sake, in giving:

He shows us the way to live,

Like Him. let us love and give!

The Christmas We Like

The Christmas We Like.

By Ella M. Powers.

(A recitation for two primary children.)

First pupil: Just a little stocking,

Very small indeed,

Hang it by the chimney,

Santa Claus will heed.

Then on Christmas morning

I will run and see

All the lovely presents

He has left for me.

Second pupil: I never think that Christmas

Is quite so full of joy,

Unless I find a poor child

And give her a nice toy.

For don't you know at Christmas

We must be happy then,

And love to do for others

As Christ did to all men.