The Other Stocking
On Santa Claus
Okay, here are two pieces by G.K. Chesterton about "Santa". The first is a beautiful little story about his experience with Christmas and how it bloomed into his love of the gift of life. It is one of my very, very favorite stories.
The second is a response from Chesterton from The New York Times. He is reviewing a book by S.R. Littlelwood called "The Story of Santa Clause".
Read these two pieces. And then write a poem or a story about Christmas.
Tinsel wraps around the tree
ReplyDeleteIn shades of red and white.
As family comes from far and wide
To arrive by Christmas night.
Carolers heard at the door
Come spread the Christmas cheer.
Sweet songs of joy and happiness
Here once again this year.
The fireplace heard crackling
Like shooting stars at night.
Warms faces of the young believers
So innocent and so bright.
Lights strung up all through the town
By bundles of scarves and gloves.
Sprinkles top the Christmas cookies
Made for that Saint we love.
Poinsettia flowers of fiery red
Decorate churches Christmas Eve
Traditions are both new and old
The good things never leave.
Snowflakes glitter on the ground
Alike yet none the same.
Behold, the Son of God is born
The Mighty One, He came.
Grace, I liked how you incorporated so many different parts of the Christmas holiday, but ended with Jesus' birth. I felt like this showed how much value we place on that part of Christmas. While we do like our families, traditions, and decorations, we value Jesus the most. It's his birthday and his the most important part of that.
DeleteGrace, this is so cute! I also love how you encompassed so many aspects of the Christmas season. I know a lot of people don't like rhyming poems, but I really feel like Christmas poems simply just rhyme. It makes it so much more cheery! I also really enjoyed your word choices in this poem. Words such as "sweet," "joy," "warm," and "glitter" are all so representative of the Christmas season, and make the poem so much more Christmas-esque. I love it!
DeleteLaughing in the fallen snow,
ReplyDeleteA man is rolled to life
Young girls and boys all go
And help to make his wife.
The sun is shadowed,
But their lights twinkle on
Mothers' voices call them,
So they do not play till dawn.
The fire laughs and shares
His secrets to the young,
They gather round and listen,
Each with a steaming mug.
Exhausted by a day of fun,
Sleeping soundly in their beds,
The children finally shut their eyes,
As sweet dreams fill their heads.
Something nudges tiny minds,
And wakes them up to see
The miracle that has arrived
Beneath the bangled tree.
A miracle of life, of birth,
A Savior come this day.
A little boy like them
Found sleeping in the hay.
The last here stanzas of this poem remind me so much of Christmas when I was a child. It was so exciting and I could never fall asleep Christmas Eve because everything was so exciting and magical! My favorite part is how the miracle that the kids wake up to see is Jesus, not their gifts. Presents are so much fun but when I think about how the story is actually real, it puts its importance into perspective.
DeleteAshley, I love your use of personification in this poem. It makes it so much more enjoyable to read. I like how you described the snow being "rolled to life." It was such a clever way to describe making a snowman without coming out and saying it. I also especially loved the stanza with the "fire" laughing and talking to the children. This whole poem was so warm and cheerful, and like Grace, it reminds me of Christmas throughout my childhood. Awesome job!
DeleteI would just like to note that this poem is intended for children, so please do not judge its cheesiness. :)
ReplyDeleteI see that they've forgotten,
Or perhaps they merely don't care.
Today was supposed to be my birthday,
A day of celebration everywhere.
I didn't ask for much -
Not for presents, not for toys.
I even gave my gifts to them
Just to spread some Christmas joy.
I only asked that they remember,
That they recall the joyful day
When My Father smiled upon the world
And gave to them the Truth, the Life, the Way.
But His glimmering gift was barely unwrapped
Before tossed back under the tree.
Between the boring socks and the empty box
Sat their Savior, the Prince of Peace.
So I sit here now on Christmas
As I watch them hustle about,
Despondent by their lack of peace
As they rush to the speedy checkout.
I wish that they'd remember
When they dance among the twinkling lights.
I wish they'd recall the Light of the World
Glimmering brightly for them that night.
I wish when they sprinkle sugar
On a star-shaped frosted sweet,
They'd be reminded of the Star of Bethlehem
And the peace in the baby's heartbeat.
I wish when the children awaken
To see what Santa brought last night
I wish they'd remember the child like them
Whose birth brought Christmas to life.
So I guess that they have forgotten.
For it is clear that they don't much care.
Today was supposed to be my birthday
But instead, I'm barely there.
Mary, I loved how this was told from the point of view of Jesus. It made the poem especially poignant. So many people lose sight of the real meaning of Christmas but very rarely do we consider how this affects Christ himself. You did a great job of conveying his sadness.
DeleteMary, this wasn't all that cheesey. I thought it was really good and it contains a very important message. Too often today, people are intent on removing Jesus and all Christian connotations from Christmas. It also seems that people are more interested in receiving gifts than they are in actually giving gifts.
DeleteMary, you should really write a children's book. I think this was a really unique piece. We hear so much about looking on Mary, Joseph, and Jesus in the manger, but I've never heard the Christmas story told through Jesus's eyes. I think that this poem would be a great way to get the meaning of Christmas through to kids.
DeleteA long time ago
ReplyDeleteIn a land far far away
A Child was Born
Who was destined to save the world
People came from far and wide
Just to get a glimpse of his face
His mother was filled with grace
While Joseph stood by her side
Eventually, He was put to death
He saved the world with His dying breath
Salvation finally could be achieved
But do people actually want it?
How strange it is
Jesus is the reason for this season
Yet, receiving has become the focus
The Gift of giving has been forgotten
A nation founded on Christian principles
Has done everything possible to remove them
Based on some imaginary part of the First Amendment
Looking around different churches
It is hard not to notice
Attendance is down
So I ask again
Do people want salvation anymore?
I agree, Nick, the gift of giving has been forgotten. The question at the end of your poem was very effective because it really hits the nail in the head. People are not going to receive salvation if they keep denying God and following the dangerous path of the modern, superficial world. Our nation was founded with Christian principles, but all too often people have been getting offended and demanding they be suppressed. How is God suppose to help our country when we are doing everything possible to keep him out?
DeleteNo one judge me haha. This was just a thought that crossed my mind today.
ReplyDeleteAs the Christmas season soon approaches,
I wonder to myself where all the magic has gone.
The majesty of the twinkling lights in the eyes of a child,
Now an arduous task forced competitively on adults.
Teenagers whistfully long for the days when they could count on Saint Nick,
Envying the ignorance and glee of the children around them.
The childish joy of waiting for presents and Santa Claus,
Has become an ever- pressing financial worry.
With all this commotion and bustle going around me,
All I want to know is how to bring the magic back.
You're right Abbey. Back when we were young, it didn't really matter what we got for Christmas. We were just happy we got stuff. Now, we aren't really satisfied unless we get everything we wanted. And most of the stuff we want for Christmas is really expensive...so the magic of Christmas just seems to disappear when we don't get everything we want. We should just be thankful for what we have and actually go ahead and give and instead of just receiving.
DeleteThis is so sad! Christmas used to be so much more fun when we believed in Santa! I feel bad for atheists because their life is probably this same way not believing in God. My favorite part of Christmas is church because that will never change. Thinking about how horrible it would be to have a baby in a manger but then how rewarding it would be at the same time to have an amazing Son gets me excited for Christmas. Also, I tend to live through all of my younger cousins and I always get excited for them. Even though Santa is my mother, Christmas is still the best!
DeleteI am going to be honest when I say part of the reason Christmas did not seem magical to me anymore persoanally was because I found out Santa was a phony. I did not even get to find out by my parents. Mrs. Vollmer ruined it for me in sixth grade when she said it in class. I have been heartbroken ever since. But last year I had a very magical Christmas, and that is because I learned how to give back. Instead of spending money on something I really wanted, I used my money to buy presents for a lady I met while I was employed at Pinecrest. She was very excited for Santa to come so I wanted her to feel Christmas joy and snuck into her room to put presents under her tree. Santa does not need to be real to feel the magic of Christmas. You do not need fancy gadgets to feel the magic of Christmas. You need to give back to feel the magic of Christmas.
DeleteThe Christmas tree stands tall and proud
ReplyDeleteThe children sleep without a sound
The presents are wrapped for tomorrow morn
To celebrate when Jesus was miraculously born
When morning comes the children run
Ready to engage in Christmas fun
Grammie's chicken noodle soup is ready and hot
And the kids are ready to see what Santa brought
The presents are opened for the kids to play
But then they remember the reason for Christmas Day
God sent Jesus to the human race
To save them with His amazing grace
Have fun playing with your brand new toy
But remember Jesus is the reason for Christmas joy