"The Witness At Bethlemhem" -Poem by Lavone

i ran across a poem when i was going through some old books. this poem is called "Christmas Is." I hope you like it! =)


what is Christmas? ask the harried cynic.

Christmas is confusion.

it is rushing frantically to buy the last gift,
mail the last card,
send the last invitation,
while slighting those who matter the most.
it is losing a child in the crowd
and adding tears of fright
to tears of frustration.
it is running out of money
with twenty-five coming for dinner.
it is making merry while the heart is sad.
it is peace on earth and war in the east,
and loneliness in the crowd.

Christmas is confusion.

what is Christmas? Ask the caring parent.
Christmas is tradition.
it is serving freshly baked cookies
and listening to records well-worn.
it is trimming the tree with the crooked trunk,
and finding the lopsided star.
it is children returning from college
and capturing keys in the car.
it is families feasting together,
and "Whose turn is dinner this year?"
it is concerts and Sunday school programs
and first graders reading Luke 2.
it is sewing the holiday dresses
and hemming them on Christmas Eve.

Christmas is tradition.

what is Christmas? ask the eager child.
Christmas is giving and receiving.
it is feeling important
because this excitement is about a baby!
it is writing letters to Santa
and forgetting to say thank you.
it is putting pennies in the Salvation Army kettle
and caroling for the elderly.
it is choosing a present for mother
and being 10 cents short.
it is giving bald grandpa a brush and comb
and daddy a bottle of bubble bath.
it is Christmas stocking and a the new bike
and the very first bottle of cologne.

Christmas is giving and receiving.

What is Christmas? ask the earnest idealist.

Christmas is beauty.

it is charlie brown's Christmas show
and the tree being made beautiful by love.
it is starlight and angels,
tinsel and light.
it is snowflakes and icicles,
fireplace and warmth.
it is holly and mistletoe
and sleigh bells in the air.
it is smiles on the faces of children,
contentment on brows of the old.
it is kneeling once more at the manger
and family and parties and friends.

Christmas is beauty.

what is Christmas? ask the thoughtful Christian.

Christmas is Christ.

it is bridging frustration with feeling.
it is reaching beyond tradition
to the telling of the good news.
it is giving and receiving
because God so loved the world that he gave.
it is beauty that blesses the soul
as well as the sense.
it is the baby and the king,
and the manger and the cross.
it is "for unto us a child is born,
unto us a child is given.
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
and his name shall be called
wonderful counselor,
mighty God,
everlasting father,
prince of peace."

Christmas is Christ.