Christmas Entertainments Part 20

"Welcome, dear day,"

All creatures say, For Christmas-tide has come.

--_L.M. Alcott_

CHRISTMAS EVE.

The time draws near the birth of Christ: The moon is hid; the night is still; The Christmas bells from hill to hill Answer each other in the mist.

Rise, happy morn! rise, holy morn!

Draw forth the cheerful day from night: O Father! touch the east, and light The light that shone when hope was born.

--_Alfred Tennyson_

FATHER CHRISTMAS.

Here comes old Father Christmas, With sound of fife and drums, With misteltoe about his brows, So merrily he comes!

Hurrah for Father Christmas!

Ring all the merry bells!

And bring the grandsires all around To hear the tale he tells.

--_Rose Terry Cooke_

CHRISTMAS IN ENGLAND.

Well our Christian sires of old Loved when the year its course had rolled, And brought blithe Christmas back again, With all his hospitable train.

England was merry England when Old Christmas brought his sports again.

'Twas Christmas broached the mightiest ale; 'Twas Christmas told the merriest tale, A Christmas gambol oft could cheer The poor man's heart through half the year.

_--Sir Walter Scott_.

MUSIC OF CHRISTMAS.

What do the angels sing?

What is the word they bring?

What is the music of Christmas again?

Glad tidings still to thee, Peace and good will to thee Glory to G.o.d in the highest!

_--F.R. Havergal_.

A CHRISTMAS WISH.

A bright and blessed Christmas Day, With echoes of the angels' song, And peace that cannot pa.s.s away, And holy gladness, calm and strong, And sweetheart carols, flowing free!

This is my Christmas wish to thee.

--_F.R. Havergal_.

THE FIRST CHRISTMAS.

Where love takes, let love give, and so doubt not: Love counts but the will, And the heart has its flowers of devotion No winter can chill; They who cared for "good will" that first Christmas Will care for it still.

--_A.A. Procter_.

ONCE A YEAR.

At Christmas play and make good cheer, For Christmas comes but once a year.

--_Tusser_.

OLD ENGLISH SONG.

When Rosemary and Bays, the poet's crown, Are bawled in frequent cries through all the town, Then judge the festival of Christmas near,-- Christmas, the joyous period of the year!

Now with bright holly all the temples are strow; With Laurel green and sacred Mistletoe.

OLD FATHER CHRISTMAS.

Old Father Christmas is pa.s.sing by, His cheeks are ruddy, he's bright of eye; His beard is white with the snows of time.

His brow is h.o.a.ry with frost and rime.

It's little he cares for the frost and the cold, For old Father Christmas he never grows old.

EVERGREEN AND HOLLY.

Bring the evergreens and holly, Bring the music and the song, Chase away the melancholy, By the pleasures bright, and jolly, Which to Christmas time belong.

--_E.O. Peck_

=Christmas Dolls.=

By ELIZABETH J. ROOK.

_Children come skipping in, singing_:

"Here we come with our Christmas dolls Christmas dolls, Christmas dolls, Here we come with our Christmas dolls, Wouldn't you like to see them?"