THE WORSHIPFUL MORN

 

The bells of Christmas ring out clear

On the special day across the land

Family and friends come together

With warm embrace or shake of hand

Then together answer the call to enter

The happy faces of young and old

Of those occupying every seat or pew

In the church bedecked in green and gold

Lifted the heart and warmed the soul

The glad ragged and dapper dressed

The cheerfully demeanoured little girls

And little boys with hair unmessed

All come together on Christmas day

To share the celebration and rejoice

To mark the birth of the baby lord

Love and peace heard in every voice

As in harmony the congregation sing

Heartily in praise of Christ the King

THE BEST CHRISTMAS MOVIES EVER – THE LIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS (2007)

 

After losing their way on a cold, snowy, blustery Christmas Eve, two children, Katie and Makean are rescued by their friend, the Candleman, an old sage who imparts wisdom, hot chocolate, and stories.

While seated comfortably in the warmth of his home he opens a weathered book, and begins reading the classic tale, The Night Before Christmas and magically, Katie and Makean become characters in the poem where they learn the light of Christmas comes from the giver of all good gifts.

This beautifully animated children’s movie is a pure delight and I can say no more than that to recommend it.

FAVOURITE CHRISTMAS SONG # 26 - HAVE YOURSELF A MERRY LITTLE CHRISTMAS

 

Despite the general awfulness of the Christmas song there are however always exceptions to the rule and I have a short list of personal favourites

Without exception all my choices not only include the song but the best performer of that song and so in no particular order here is my twenty sixth selection.

 

Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas

Written By Hugh Martin, Ralph Blane

Performed By Judy Garland

 

Have yourself a merry little Christmas
Let your heart be light
Next year all our troubles will be
Out of sight
Have yourself a merry little Christmas
Make the yule-tide gay
Next year all our troubles will be
Miles away
Once again as in olden days
Happy golden days of yore
Faithful friends who were dear to us
Will be near to us once more
Someday soon, we all will be together
If the Fates allow
Until then, we'll have to muddle through somehow
So have yourself a merry little Christmas now.

HIS GIFT

 

For the lowly beast in the stable chill

And the humble shepherd on the hill

Wise and wealthy Magi from the east

The purpose of every Christmas feast

Is to rejoice and feel your spirit’s lift

Exchanging love when exchanging gift

For when Jesus lay in that stable stall

He gave us his love, the greatest gift of all

THE HOLY INFANT

 

In the presence of the lowly beasts

The prince of peace was born

And to his earthy joyous cries

They bowed low head and horn

The Shepherds stood in wonder

As the child they stood before

The child the angel told of

Lay before them in the straw

Countless miles the Magi came

Having traveled from the east

In lavish robes they knelt before him

And bowed lowly like the beasts

Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh

Were lain reverently before his stall

Precious gifts brought from afar

For the holy infant born for us all

PUZZLED AUNTY

 

Bimbette wouldn’t buy

Her niece a jigsaw

For Christmas even though

She’d asked for it before

It was Because it was labelled

6-8 years

So not finishing it in the two week

Holiday was her fear

THE BEST CHRISTMAS MOVIES EVER – HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS (2005)

 

At the beginning of December, the McMurrin family are dealt a savage blow when the parents of three children, twins Amy and Sam, (Joëlle Antonissen and Madison J. Loos) and younger brother Michael (Joey Roche) die in a car crash.

Despite the fact that she is barely able to provide for herself, the children’s single maternal aunt, Martha McCarthy (Sean Young) steps up to care for the children.

The family live on a rural Washington farm that has been in the family for generations, and the house was built by Martha's father when she was a young girl.

They are dealt yet another blow when, at the reading of the will, the Bank states that the farm now belongs to someone else, so with the help of Social Worker Paige Holloway (Lucia Walters), Sheriff Bob Cutter (John Novak) and old flame Jack Cooper (Perry King) the fight is on to keep the family together and to save, if not the farm, then the house.