(It’s been my tradition to write a new poem each Christmas, so with apologies for my long delay in posting anything in the past several months, here is this year’s version.)

It may not quite yet be the night just before,

But Christmas is coming to our home once more.

We’ve fixed up each room that we have in the house

And lit all our candles, just me and my spouse.

The tree is all trimmed, and the mantle is full

With twelve stockings hanging (which looks pretty cool)

For family is coming from near and from far

They’ve followed their flight paths, if not quite the Star.

Still, right at the top of our holiday list,

We’ve tried to remember our One Special Guest.

For even in all of the seasonal mirth,

It’s still all about His incredible birth,

When glories of Heaven filled the skies and a cave

And a Savior was born on the night when God gave

To Mary and Joseph, a sweet little boy,

To all of mankind, an unstoppable Joy.

The world wasn’t ready; it just couldn’t see

The best present of all under anyone’s tree

Came not by delivery or bought in a store,

But from Heaven itself when it opened its door.

May we then give thanks for that bright shining morn

When into the darkness Christ Jesus was born.

Our lives ever changed, with a chance to start new

When God said to us, “Merry Christmas to you.”