CHRISTMAS CLASSICS
Twas
The Night Before Christmas
by Clement Clarke Moore
Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa Claus
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And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot, His eyes -- how they twinkled! his dimples how merry! The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth, |
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf, He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work, He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle, |
from Iceland
There is a legend, that is 100-200 years old, which says that unless you get at least one new garment to wear for Christmas you "get caught by the Christmas Cat" or "dress the Christmas Cat" as the saying goes. The Christmas Cat was supposed to be some kind of a monster that originally came from the other nordic countries. But still today we talk about it and make sure that everyone has something new to wear on Christmas otherwise you'll get caught. To give you a better picture of the Cat I translated an icelandic poem about this kitty (you''ll have to forgive me but I didn't make it rhyme - I'm not much of a poet).
The Christmas Cat
You all know the Cristmas Cat
And that Cat was huge indeed.
People didn't know where he came from
Or where he went.He opened his glaring eyes wide,
The two of them glowing bright.
It took a really brave man
To look straight into them.His whiskers, sharp as bristles,
His back arched up high.
And the claws of his hairy paws
Were a terrible sight.
He gave a wave of his strong tail,
He jumped and he clawed and he hissed.
Sometimes up in the valley,
Sometimes down by the shore.He roamed at large, hungry and evil
In the freezing Christmas snow.
In every home
People shuddered at his name.If one heard a pittiful "meow"
Something evil would happen soon.
Everybody knew he hunted men
But didn't care for mice.He picked on the very poor
That no new garments got
For Christmas - who toiled
And lived in dire need.From them he took in one fell swoop
Their whole Christmas dinner
Always eating it himself
If he possibly could.Hence it was that the women
At their spinning-wheels sat
Spinning a colorful thread
For a frock or a little sock.Because you mustn't let the Cat
Get hold of the little children.
They had to get something new to wear
From the grownups each year.And when the lights came on, on Christmas eve
And the Cat peered in,
The little children stood rosy and proud
All dressed up in their new clothes.Some had gotten an apron
And some had gotten shoes
Or something that was needed
- That was all it took.For all who got something new to wear
Stayed out of that pussy-cat's grasp
He then gave an awful hiss
But went on his way.Whether he still exsists I do not know.
But his visit would be in vain
If next time everybody
Got something new to wear.Now you might be thinking of helping
Where help is needed most.
Perhaps you'll find some children
That have nothing at all.Perhaps searching for those
That live in a light-less world
Will give you a happy day
And a merry merry Christmas.
I hope yours will be a happy one tooViggi
Vignir Jonsson
Reykjaveg
Iceland
Editorial Page, New York Sun, 1897
We take pleasure in answering thus prominently the communication below, expressing at the same time our great gratification that its faithful author is numbered among the friends of The Sun:
Dear Editor,
I am 8 years old. Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus. Papa says, "If you see it in The Sun, it's so." Please tell me the truth, is there a Santa Claus?
Virginia O'Hanlon
Virginia, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men's or children's, are little. In this great universe of ours, man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.
Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus! It would be as dreary as if there were no Virginias. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The external light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished.
Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies. You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if you did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that's no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world.
You tear apart the baby's rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived could tear apart. Only faith, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, Virginia, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding.
No Santa Claus! Thank God! he lives and lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay 10 times 10,000 years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!!!
The Twelve Days of Christmas
On the 1st day of Christmas my true love sent to me...
A partridge in a pear tree
On the 2nd day of Christmas my true love sent to me...
Two turtle doves
On the 3rd day of Christmas my true love sent to me...
Three french hens
On the 4th day of Christmas my true love sent to me...
Four calling birds
On the 5th day of Christmas my true love sent to me...
Five gold rings
On the 6th day of Christmas my true love sent to me...
Six geese a-laying
On the 7th day of Christmas my true love sent to me...
Seven swans a-swimming
On the 8th day of Christmas my true love sent to me...
Eight maids a-milking
On the 9th day of Christmas my true love sent to me...
Nine ladies dancing
On the 10th day of Christmas my true love sent to me...
Ten lords-a-leaping
On the 11th day of Christmas my true love sent to me...
Eleven pipers piping
On the 12th day of Christmas my true love sent to me...
Twelve drummers drumming
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!!!