CHRISTMAS COMES BUT ONCE A YEAR. THOMAS MILLER. THOSE Christmas bells as sweetly chime, So merrily in the olden time, And far and wide their music flung: Then he came singing through the woods, And plucked the holly bright and green ; Pulled here and there the ivy buds; Was sometimes hidden, sometimes seenHalf-buried 'neath the mistletoe, His long beard hung with flakes of snow; Old Christmas comes but once a year. He merrily came in days of old, When roads were few, and ways were foul, Now staggered,-now some ditty trolled, His holly silvered o'er with frost. Nor never once his way he lost, For reeling here and reeling there, Old Christmas comes but once a year. The hall was then with holly crowned, "T was on the wild-deer's antlers placed; CHRISTMAS COMES BUT ONCE A YEAR. It hemmed the battered armour round, And every ancient trophy graced. It decked the boar's head, tusked and grim, A summer-green hung everywhere, His jaded steed the armèd knight By all assisted to alight, From humble monk, to abbot great. They placed his lance behind the door, And then brought out the best of cheer, The maiden then, in quaint attire, Loosed from her head the silken hood, And danced before the yule-clog fire The crackling monarch of the wood. While music sounded loud and clear; What, though upon his hoary head, Have fallen many a winter's snow, For what has he to do with care? Are ever standing ready there, For Christmas comes but once a year. No marvel Christmas lives so long, He never knew but merry hours, His nights were spent with mirth and song, Was greeted both by serf and lord, And seated at the festal board; While every voice cried "Welcome here," Old Christmas comes but once a year. But what care we for days of old, The knights whose arms have turned to rust, CHRISTMAS COMES BUT ONCE A YEAR. Their grim boars' heads, and pasties cold, Never did sweeter faces go, Blushing beneath the mistletoe, Than are to-night assembled here, For Christmas still comes once a year. For those old times are dead and gone, And those who hailed them passed away, Yet still there lingers many a one, To welcome in old Christmas Day. The poor will many a care forget, But, as they each enjoy their cheer, And still around these good old times We hang like friends full loth to part, We listen to the simple rhymes Which somehow sink into the heart, A masquer's face dimmed with a tear, The bells which usher in that morn, To Bethlehëm, where Christ was born, In which the large-eyed oxen fed; To Mary bowing low her head, And looking down with love sincere, Such thoughts bring Christmas once a year. CHRISTMAS COMES BUT ONCE A YEAR. At early day the youthful voice, Heard singing on from door to door, Makes the responding heart rejoice, To know the children of the poor For once are happy all day long ; We smile and listen to the song, The burthen still remote or near, "Old Christmas comes but once a year." Upon a gayer happier scene, Never did holly berries peer, Or ivy throw its trailing green, On brighter forms than there are here, Nor Christmas in his old arm-chair |