I remember my little sister squealing with laughter at 3am on Christmas morning as I read to her one of Spike Milligan’s verses for kids put in her stocking. It began ‘Today I saw a little worm, wriggling on its belly…’. Four lines long, I must have re-read that over and over to her and our brother who joined us on the bunks, before our mother came in to quell the mayhem.
There are so many verses, limericks, raps, proverbs and poems that somehow lodge in our brains, so we thought we’d share a few of our favourites with you.
‘Twas the night before Christmas
Twas the night before Christmas by C C Moore, 1837
‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
in hopes that St Nicholas soon would be there.
The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
while visions of sugar plums danced in their heads.
And Mama in her ‘kerchief, and I in my cap,
had just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap.
When out on the roof there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
tore open the shutter, and threw up the sash.
The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
gave the lustre of midday to objects below,
when, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
but a miniature sleigh and eight tiny reindeer.
With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St Nick.
More rapid than eagles, his coursers they came,
and he whistled and shouted and called them by name:
“Now Dasher! Now Dancer!
Now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! On, Cupid!
On, Donner and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch!
To the top of the wall!
Now dash away! Dash away!
Dash away all!”
As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
when they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky
so up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
with the sleigh full of toys, and St Nicholas too.
And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
the prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head and was turning around,
down the chimney St Nicholas came with a bound.
He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
and his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot.
A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,
and he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.
His eyes – how they twinkled! His dimples, how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
and the beard on his chin was as white as the snow.
The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
and the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
that shook when he laughed, like a bowl full of jelly.
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
and I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself.
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head
soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
and filled all the stockings, then turned with a jerk.
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
and giving a nod, up the chimney he rose.
He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ‘ere he drove out of sight,
“Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!”
Nativity carol Rocking
And how many of us remember the various dolls, teddies and baby brothers and sisters who featured in infant school plays singing the Nativity carol Rocking?
Little Jesus, sweetly sleep, do not stir;
We will lend you a coat of fur,
We will rock you, rock you, rock you,
We will rock you, rock you, rock you:
See the fur to keep you warm,
Snugly round your tiny form.
Mary’s little baby, sleep, sweetly sleep,
Sleep in comfort, slumber deep;
We will rock you, rock you, rock you,
We will rock you, rock you, rock you:
We will serve you all we can,
Darling, darling little man.
Patapan
More staid and perhaps not forgotten is Patapan:
Willie, take your little drum, With your whistle, Robin, come!
When we hear the fife and drum, Ture-lure-lu, pata-pata-pan,
When we hear the fife and drum,
Christmas should be frolicsome.
Thus the men of olden days
Loved the King of kings to praise:
When they ear the fife and drum, Ture-lure-lu, pata-pata-pan,
When they hear the fife and drum, Sure our children won’t be dumb!
God and man are now become
More at one than fife and drum.
When you hear the fife and drum,
Ture-lure-lu, Pata-pata-pan,
When you hear the fife and drum,
Dance, and make the village hum!
Winter Time
Winter-Time by Robert Louis Stevenson
Late lies the wintry sun a-bed,
A frosty, fiery sleepy-head;
Blinks but an hour or two; and then,
A blood-red orange, sets again.
Before the stars have left the skies,
At morning in the dark I rise;
And shivering in my nakedness,
By the cold candle, bathe and dress.
Close by the jolly fire I sit
To warm my frozen bones a bit;
Or with a reindeer-sled, explore
The colder countries round the door.
When to go out, my nurse doth wrap
Me in my comforter and cap;
The cold wind burns my face, and blows
Its frosty pepper up my nose.
Black are my steps on silver sod;
Thick blows my frosty breath abroad;
And tree and house, and hill and lake,
Are frosted like a wedding cake.
The fir tree
For those who want something a little different, check out Christmas poems from around the world, including France’s classic ‘The Little Fir Tree’ (le Petit Sapin) and Germany’s 16th century song O Tannenbaum (the fir tree) which was originally a folksong to mark the changing seasons. The tune is best known here as that of The Red Flag sung at the end of Labour Party conferences, with altogether different lyrics.
Oh Christmas tree,
Oh Christmas tree,
How loyal are your leaves.
You’re green not only in the summertime,
But also in winter when it snows.
Oh Christmas tree
Oh Christmas tree
How loyal are your needles.
In fact, many German carols are identical to those we sing here.
Traditional Irish blessings
The light of the Christmas star to you.
The warmth of home and hearth to you.
The cheer and goodwill of friends to you.
The hope of a childlike heart to you.
The joy of a thousand angels to you.
The love of the son, and God’s peace to you.
And finally
Finally, for those who like the Grinch, here are 30 Quotes From How the Grinch Stole Christmas. They’ll cheer you up, because, it’s Christmas!
