Thursday, December 20, 2007

Christmas Greetings from Gagliardi


The Magic of Christmas

“Don’t tell me there is no Santa Claus”
For if it were left up to me
There most certainly would be
No one would be forgotten or left out
Every single person on the planet would know
Without a doubt
What the magic of Christmas is really about
And of course it’s about giving gifts – no, no, no, no not those
Not the ones all wrapped and shiny, that sparkle and glow
They’re pretty and pleasant, I know
But gifts like that – well, they’re really for show
But it’s the kind you can’t make in a factory or sew
Or put in box or buy in a store (Do I sound like Seuss-sayer?)
Well, here’s another rhyme more
No, the sort that I mean don’t cost a dime
Maybe some effort, some thought – a little bit of time
On second thought these are things
Even Santa couldn’t pack
Not the sort of presents you can put in a sack
Peace, love, hope, forgiveness, warm embraces
True gifts that all our “hustling and bustling” often replaces
While we blithely ignore all of God’s amazing graces
And miss the magic, which is there
As precious as the words of a little one’s simple prayer
For you see we have to pause
And like a child who still believes in a Santa Claus
Receive a gift that prompts such wild surprise
That our hearts are full of joy, there’s delight in our eyes
And as we stand back in awe and ask,
“Did you bring that for me?
Recalling a holy night, alive once again
A baby born in a stable, in a place called Bethlehem
Starlight and shepherds and angels singing — peace, goodwill to men
Gifts to the world from the Father above
Not illusions or sleight of hand but real magic, borne out of love
Wrapped up in redemptive ribbons reminding us of
The grace and the glory, the sacrifice and the story
The miracle, the majesty, the mystery
As in wide-eyed wonder
We fall under the spell
Transformed by the Magic of Christmas

George Gagliardi, December, 2007

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