It was the calm and silent night!
Seven hundred years and fifty-three
Had Rome been growing up read more

It was the calm and silent night!
Seven hundred years and fifty-three
Had Rome been growing up to might
And now was queen of land and sea.
No sound was heard of clashing wars,
Peace brooded o'er the hushed domain;
Apollo, Pallas, Jove and Mars,
Held undisturbed their ancient reign,
In the solemn midnight,
Centuries ago.

"Hark the herald angels sing,
Glory to the new-born king."
Peace on earth, and mercy mild,
read more

"Hark the herald angels sing,
Glory to the new-born king."
Peace on earth, and mercy mild,
God and sinners reconciled.!

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

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

The time draws near the birth of Christ:
The moon is hid; the night is still;
The read more

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.

Christmas is the season for kindling the fire of hospitality in the hall, the genial flame of charity in the read more

Christmas is the season for kindling the fire of hospitality in the hall, the genial flame of charity in the heart.

Christmas Eve was a night of song that wrapped itself about you like a shawl. But it warmed more than read more

Christmas Eve was a night of song that wrapped itself about you like a shawl. But it warmed more than your body. It warmed your heart... filled it, too, with melody that would last forever.

Let's dance and sing and make good cheer,
For Christmas comes but once a year.

Let's dance and sing and make good cheer,
For Christmas comes but once a year.

I am not alone at all, I thought. I was never alone at all. And that, of course, is the read more

I am not alone at all, I thought. I was never alone at all. And that, of course, is the message of Christmas. We are never alone. Not when the night is darkest, the wind coldest, the world seemingly most indifferent. For this is still the time God chooses.

Christmas is for children. But it is for grown-ups too. Even if
it is a headache, a chore, and read more

Christmas is for children. But it is for grown-ups too. Even if
it is a headache, a chore, and a nightmare, it is a period of
necessary defrosting of chilled hidebound hearts.