Lately, I’ve been thinking that we’ve been making up Christmas Carols. This is the one the facebook posts of so many people seem to sing to me:
Deck the halls,
Head to the malls,
Spend without care,
For presents to share
Give to groups that hate
To make yourself feel great
Do more more and more
Spend more more and more
And don’t forget that freaking elf
Spying from upon the shelf
It’s the most wonderful time of the year.
Yay Christmas.
People, look east. The time is near
Of the crowning of the year
Make your house fair as you are able,
Trim the hearth and set the table.
People, look east and sing today:
Love, the guest, is on the way.
“Head to the malls,
Spend without care,
For presents to share”
“Baby Jesus…
I am a poor boy too…
I have no gift to bring…
That’s fit to give a king…
Shall I play for you?”
“Give to groups that hate
To make yourself feel great”
And if we're shopping? Ugh. Let’s talk about for a minute. Can we please do like 47 seconds of research to make sure the places getting our money do good stuff in the world? Please?
“Do more more and more
Spend more more and more”
“Come and gather around at the table
In the spirit of family and friends
And we’ll all join hands and remember this moment
Til the season comes ‘round again”
“And don’t forget that freaking elf
Spying from upon the shelf”
And yet, O Little Town of Bethlehem reminds us
“Yet in thy dark streets shineth
The everlasting light
The hopes and fears of all the years
Are met in thee tonight”
“It’s the most wonderful time of the year.
Yay Christmas.”
I heard the bells on Christmas day
Their old familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet the words repeat
Of peace on earth, good will to men.
And thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along the unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.
Till ringing, singing on its way
The world revolved from night to day,
A voice, a chime, a chant sublime
Of peace on earth, good will to men.
And in despair I bowed my head
“There is no peace on earth,” I said,
“For hate is strong and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.”
Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
“God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail
With peace on earth, good will to men.”
“2015 Christmas Gift Spending Plans Up Slightly.” American Research Group, INC, November 21, 2015. http://americanresearchgroup.com/holiday/.
“Here’s The Internal Document The Salvation Army Doesn’t Want You To See.” Queerty. Accessed November 30, 2015. Here’s The Internal Document The Salvation Army Doesn’t Want You To See.
Holley, Peter. “The Elf on the Shelf Is Preparing Your Child to Live in a Future Police State, Professor Warns - The Washington Post.” Accessed November 30, 2015. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/arts-and-entertainment/wp/2014/12/16/the-elf-on-the-shelf-is-preparing-your-child-to-live-in-a-future-police-state-professor-says/?tid=sm_fb.
Joy, Emily. “7 Reasons Not to Participate in Operation Christmas Child This Year.” Emily Joy Poetry. Accessed November 30, 2015. http://emilyjoypoetry.com/7-reasons-not-to-participate-in-operation-christmas-child-this-year.
“Kindness Elves: An Alternative Elf on the Shelf Tradition - The Imagination Tree.” Accessed November 30, 2015. http://theimaginationtree.com/2013/11/alternative-elf-on-shelf-tradition-kindness-elf-kindness-elves.html.