CHARLES MACKAY Ye who have scorned each other, Or injured friend or brother, In this fast-fading year; Ye who, by word or deed, Have made a kind heart bleed, Come gather here! Let...
JOHN G. WHITTIER I Sound over all waters, reach out from all lands, The chorus of voices, the clasping of hands; Sing hymns that were sung by the stars of the morn, Sing songs of t...
CHARLES WESLEY Hark! the herald angels sing Glory to the new-born King! Peace on earth and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled. Joyful all ye nations rise, Join the triumph of t...
ANON In the rush of the merry morning, When the red burns through the gray, And the wintry world lies waiting For the glory of the day; Then we hear a fitful rushing Just without u...
MARGARET DELAND Like small curled feathers, white and soft, The little clouds went by, Across the moon, and past the stars, And down the western sky: In upland pastures, where the...
MARY MAPES DODGE Oh, the beauty of the Christ Child, The gentleness, the grace, The smiling, loving tenderness, The infantile embrace! All babyhood he holdeth, All motherhood enfol...
WILLIAM DRUMMOND Run, shepherds, run where Bethlehem blest appears. We bring the best of news; be not dismayed: A Saviour there is born more old than years, Amidst heaven's rolling...
(Adapted) CHARLES DICKENS SCROOGE and the Ghost of Christmas Present stood in the city streets on Christmas morning, where (for the weather was severe) the people made a rough but...
MARGARET DELAND At the break of Christmas Day, Through the frosty starlight ringing, Faint and sweet and far away, Comes the sound of children, singing, Chanting, singing, _Cease t...
JOHN KEBLE Wake me to-night, my mother dear, That I may hear The Christmas Bells, so soft and clear, To high and low glad tidings tell, How God the Father loved us well; How God th...
HARRIET F. BLODGETT I Oh! holly branch and mistletoe. And Christmas chimes where'er we go. And stockings pinned up in a row! These are thy gifts, December! II And if the year has m...
CECIL FRANCES ALEXANDER Saw you never in the twilight, When the sun had left the skies, Up in heaven the clear stars shining, Through the gloom like silver eyes? So of old the wise...
THEODORE LEDYARD CUYLER My own boyhood was spent in a delightful home on one of the most beautiful farms in Western New York--an experience that any city-bred boy might envy. We ha...
RICHARD WATSON GILDER With wild surprise Four great eyes In two small heads, From neighboring beds Looked out--and winked-- And glittered and blinked At a very queer sight In the d...
ANON He comes in the night! He comes in the night! He softly, silently comes; While the little brown heads on the pillows so white Are dreaming of bugles and drums. He cuts through...
O Child of Mary's tender care! O little Child so pure and fair! Cradled within the manger hay On that divine first Christmas day! The hopes of every age and race Are centered in Th...
ANNE P.L. FIELD O pulsing earth with heart athrill With infinite creative will! O watchful shepherds in whose eyes Sweet hopes and promises arise! O angel-host whose chanting choir...
ROBERT HERRICK Come, bring with a noise, My merry, merry boys, The Christmas log to the firing, While my good dame, she Bids ye all be free, And drink to your heart's desiring. Wit...
(Sung at Queen's College, Oxford.) The boar's head in hand bear I, Bedecked with bays and rosemary; And I pray you, my masters, be merry, Quot estis in convivio. _Caput apri defero...
MRS. C.S. STONE All the house was asleep, And the fire burning low, When, from far up the chimney, Came down a Ho! ho! And a little, round man, With a terrible scratching, Dropped...
_The following, reprinted from the editorial page of the New York Sun, was written by the late Mr. Frank P. Church:_ We take pleasure in answering at once and thus prominently the...
CHRISTIAN BURKE The trees are hung with crystal lamps, the world lies still and white, And the myriad little twinkling stars are sharp with keener light; The moon sails up the fros...
JAMES S. PARK So crowded was the little town On the first Christmas day, Tired Mary Mother laid her down To rest upon the hay. (Ah, would my door might have been thrown Wide open o...
NAHUM TATE While shepherds watch'd their flocks by night, All seated on the ground, The angel of the Lord came down, And glory shone around. Fear not, said he (for mighty dread Had...
ANNE P.L. FIELD Twas the night after Christmas in Santa-Claus land And to rest from his labors St. Nicholas planned. The reindeer were turned out to pasture and all The ten thousan...
ISAAC WATTS Hush, my dear, lie still and slumber; Holy angels guard thy bed; Heavenly blessings without number Gently falling on thy head. Sleep, my babe, thy food and raiment, Hou...
EDMUND HAMILTON SEARS Calm on the listening ear of night Come heaven's melodious strains, Where wild Judea stretches far Her silver-mantled plains; Celestial choirs from courts abo...
When Christ was born of Mary free, In Bethlehem, in that fair citie, Angels sang there with mirth and glee, _In Excelsis Gloria!_ Herdsmen beheld these angels bright, To them appea...
ROBERT SOUTHWELL Behold a simple, tender Babe, In freezing winter night, In homely manger trembling lies; Alas! a piteous sight. The inns are full; no man will yield This little Pi...
EDWARD THRING Happy night and happy silence downward softly stealing, Softly stealing over land and sea, Stars from golden censors swing a silent eager feeling Down on Judah, down...