Near events may have remote causes. The river that sweeps by us cannot be explained without going far back to hidden springs in distant hills. The huge wave that breaks upon the ocean shore may have had its origin in a submarine upheaval five thousand miles away.
A wide circle of causes converged towards this birth; all the spokes of the ancient world ran into this hub. When Abraham started west as an emigrant out of Babylonia, "not knowing whither he went," (Hebrews 11:8) he was unconsciously traveling towards Bethlehem. Jewish history for centuries headed towards this culmination; this was the matchless blossom that bloomed out of all that growth from Abraham to Joseph and Mary. Priest and prophet, tabernacle and temple, gorgeous ritual and streaming altar, sacrifice and psalm, kingdom and captivity, triumph and tragedy were all so many roots to this tree. These were the education and discipline of the chosen people, preparing them as soil out of which the Messiah could spring. The great ideas of the unity and sovereignty, spirituality and righteousness of God, the sinfulness of sin and the need of an atonement were in flaming picture language emblazoned before the people and burnt into their conscience. Christ would do nothing until these ideas were rooted in the world.
Pagan achievements, also, "the glory-that was Greece and the grandeur that was Rome," were roots to this same tree of preparation for the coming of Christ, though they knew it not. Greece with all the glories of its philosophy and art showed that the world never could be saved by it's own wisdom; and all the laws and legions of Rome were equally impotent to lift it out of the ditch of sin. Neither a brilliant brain nor a mailed fist can save a lost world. Yet both Greece and Rome made positive contributions to the preparation for Christ. Greece fashioned a marvelous instrument for propagating the gospel in its highly flexible and expressive language, and Rome reduced the world to order and hushed it into peace and thus turned it into a vast amphitheater in which the gospel could be heard. Greece also contributed philosophy that threw light on the gospel, and Rome gave it a rich inheritance of law.
God thus set this event in a mighty framework of preparation. He got the world ready for Christ before he brought Christ to the world. He was in no haste and took plenty of time before he struck the great hour. The harvest must lie out in the showers and sunshine for weeks and months before it can ripen into golden wheat, and the meteor must shoot through millions of invisible miles for one brief flash of splendor. The centuries seemed slow-footed during that long and dreary stretch from Abraham to Mary, "but when the fullness of time was come, God sent forth his Son." (Galatians 4:4-7) by James Henry Snowden
The finished poinsettia quilled ornament covered with glitter.
This is a quilling project for little ones with small hands and limited hand coordination. It looks terrific when the poinsettia is finally painted and covered with green and red glitter!
When adults quill ornaments, much finer cut papers are used and it takes much longer for original quill work to be completed.
Because the project can take several days to complete, I find it best to use the tacky craft glue. This will speed up the drying time and limit frustrations for younger students. Set the flower over a heating duct or in some other warm area of the home to encourage rapid dry time.
Supply List:
several recycled toilet paper rolls
craft tacky glue
green and red glitter
green and red paint
small, delicate paint brush
white school glue
twine or wire for hanging
Step-by-Step Instructions:
Cut six petal shapes approximately 1/2 inches wide of approximately the same size from the first paper tube.
Pinch these at opposite ends and glue each one to the other, using tacky craft glue, at one end only to form a poinsettia shaped blossom. (see photo below)
Now cut down the next paper tube to half it lengthwise.
Cut out 1/2 inch paper curls to shape circular cardboard shapes to fill the inside of the poinsettia. I fit 12 of these shapes for the insides of my poinsettia as seen below and above. However, filling the blossom may be done any number of ways by the same methods.
Paint all of the dry poinsettia with red paint.
After the flower is done, cut one or two petal in by the identical process for the leaf segments of the poinsettia. Tuck these between the flower petals and paint them green.
Using a small, delicate paint brush, work your way around the flower covering surfaces with white school glue and glitter. It is easiest to due the leafy shapes with green first. Let these selections dry entirely first before moving on to the red flower. This will prevent the glitters from sticking in the wrong places and mixing together.
Loop a twine or wire hanger through any place inside the ornament cavities.
Left, is paper toilet roll, clean and recycled. Center it the first stage of the instructions described above. The outside shape of a poinsettia flower. Right, you can see how I filled this in with additional cardboard circles. Alternatively you could fill in one of these with large to smaller oval shapes.
This nostalgic print would look charming on a fireplace mantel or hanging on a tree. You could also tuck it inside of a Christmas card for a special family member or friend. Apply a bit of glue and transparent glitter to it's surface to make the snowy surface come to life...
Gibson's Movie Post Cards "An all around Merry Christmas'' restored for fun and merry making.
To make the knitter's bauble, for hanging on a Christmas tree, you will need the following supplies: a Styrofoam ball, enough yarn to cover the ball, white school glue, two skewers, two beads to fit perfectly on the ends of each skewer and wire for the hanger. Apply white school in modest amount to the surface of the Styrofoam ball while you wrap it to cover with the yarn. Too much glue makes a mess that will ruin this project if you are not cautious. While you are waiting for parts of the wrap to dry a bit, cut the skewers down to 5 1/2 inches if you are making a medium sized bauble. Cut these pretend knitting needles longer or shorter depending upon the scale and size of the ball you are wrapping for the ornament. Glue small beads to each flat end of your knitting needles. Wrap the knitting needles in a cross position while working the yarn around these, just as they would appear if doing it with real needles inside of a ball of yarn. Shape a hanger from wire, dab the end of it with glue and then push it deep inside the Styrofoam ball to hang.
Left, see the yarn covered bauble hanging. Right, here to see the hook detail.
The key to making these knitting balls for the tree is to limit the amount of yarn used to cover the bauble's surface so that the ornament won't get to heavy for the branches of a Christmas tree. And also, if you are a frugal knitter, you may only want to use the amount of yarn necessary for these festive trims so that there will be enough left-over for the next textile project!
To make winter skies like ours for your Christmas tree you will need the following craft supplies: metal snaps (sewing notions), twine, masking tape, white school glue, hot glue gun and glue, acrylic paints, figurative tissue paper, wooden skewers, fine sandpaper and large Popsicle sticks or tongue depressors.
Above, see two different methods for decorating your skis and ski poles.
Step-by-Step Instructions:
Cut the skewers to 4 1/4 inch lengths.
Clip off the curved ends of the Popsicle sticks at the bottom of each ski only. With white school glue stick one on top of the other in an 'X' shape. Let dry.
Cross the two ski poles, one on top of the other. Glue these together securing them in an 'X' formation with a bit of twine or masking tape. This shape will follow the shape of the crossed Popsicle stick skies.
You can twist the twine at the top of each ski pole to make the handles and/or use folded masking tape for handles to later paint.
Glue silver sewing snaps to the bottom of each ski pole using the hot glue gun and hot glue.
Either paint or decoupage the skis in the colors of your choice. Above the photograph shows both possibilities.
Once the skis have been decorated, hot glue the ski poles on top of the Popsicle skis.
Tape a wire hanger to the backside of your wooden skis and cover this with paint or additional decoupaged tissue.
Left, is the sled from underneath. Right is the sled from above.
This Flexible Flyer is a child's sled intended for recreation only. But, when it is only six inches long like these, you can only hang it on a tree...
Samuel Allen patented his Flexible Flyer in 1889. While his factory normally produced farm equipment, the sleds gave his workers something to build during slower times of the year, during the winter months.
Make sure the wooden Popsicle sticks are clean and freshly sanded. This will insure that the tacky glue will adhere the pieces.
You will need masking tape to hold the sticks in place as these dry. Stick the first two Popsicle sticks in the center of a length of tape very close together with just a slight bit of separation. Then stick two more, one on either side of the center two, after the tips have been sliced off at an angle using a hack saw or utility scissors.
Now turn the group over and cut down the sticks for the underside of the sled to fit. These will be glued down on their edges. Use more masking tape to hold these in place while they dry.
Once the sleds are dry and firmly glued in place, remove the masking tape.
Paint the sled a traditional red or green for the Christmas tree.
Tie on a piece of twine for hanging the ornament.
If this sled is too simple for your tastes, hot glue a few Christmas garnishes and presents to the top of the sled.
For some of our visitors, snow topped mountains, lodges and skying are all apart of winter fun. This year I will be posting more ornaments with sports themes. The first few being related to the mountains: the people who live there, the sports they practice and the landscapes in winter.
Supply List:
heavy paper or thin flexible cardboard
decorative yarn (colorful for the mountain)
hot glue gun and hot glue
white school glue or tacky white glue
masking tape
thin flexible wire for the hanger
five or six cotton balls
white or cream yarn (for the snow toped mountain)
felt to compliment the color of the yarn for the bottom of the mountain.
Step-by-Step Instructions:
Cut out the circle from cardboard that has at least a five inch diameter across it's center.
Cut this circle exactly in half.
Bent the half circle shape around it's self to form a cone. Tape the cone in place.
Cut off the tip of the cone to thread a fine wire up and through. On the inside of the cone bunch up the wire just a bit to sink it into a bit of hot glue. This will hold the wire in place.
Wrap the outside of the cone first, starting from the bottom, with the colorful yarn. Squeeze the tacky craft glue around the cone as you do this. Try to keep the wrap as clean as possible.
Stop a 1/2 inch from the top, peak of the cone mountain.
Continue on using white or cream yarn to represent the snow-caped mountain.
Wrap the remaining wire with cotton batting and shape this into a fancy hook.
After the yarn applications have dried, stuff the interior with cotton balls to help the mountain ornaments keep their shape.
Next using the tacky white glue, spread some generously onto a scrap piece of cardboard and press the mountain's bottom opening on top. Let dry before trimming off the excess cardboard.
Cover the bottom of the mountain using scrap felt and glue to finish the ornament.
Left, cut and wrap a cone from cardboard. Center wrap the yarn mountain. Right, a cotton batting snow cap in this version of the ornament.
Below is an illustrated model of how a log cabin, made from paper, may be cut and fashioned in such a way as to store it flat until needed. It is "a cabin home'' with pull strings and presto! the walls come together. Make free standing trees too and craft a small frontier display to assemble beneath a table-top tree if you like...
Other types of homes may be made following the above working plan.
Learn to handcraft a few little mice for a Christmas tree or for play in a mouse house if you prefer. Children love them no matter what color they are or from what materials you choose to make them with. Every mouse has it's own character and you will enjoy dressing them for the holidays as well.
Shred white cotton balls into fluff and layer this with white glue onto the chenille stems, winding the cotton around the stems. Once the cotton batting and glue is evenly distributed, you can roll the wire between the palms of your hands to adhere it to the chenille better. This process will also 'even out' the application.
Now cut and bend the cotton coated wires into basic mouse armature. See and copy the photos below.
Don't forget to twist the mice tails to the armature from behind.
Now layer cotton batting and white glue on top of the armature in order to 'flesh out' the delicate little mouse bodies.
Glue on large round ears and eyeballs made from Sculpey oven-bake clay.
Once you have fleshed out the bodies to the most believable shapes, dab on white glue and dryer lint to color the white fur further.
After the mice have dried completely next to a heating duct, ideally, paint the eyes and thread a needle with white or transparent thread to weave in and out of the mice cheeks. Clip the whiskers to a shorter length at the end.
This little wooden flat of a squirrel is painted in a very abstract way using a dry brush and sponge technique. You could just as easily choose to paint him by the same methods using grey colors instead.
Supply List:
orange, white, red, yellow acrylic paints
tiny acorn and cap
hot glue gun and hot glue
a wooden squirrel flat, unpainted
soft sponge, tiny brush, medium sized brush all three for application of paint
Step-by-Step Instructions:
Sponge the entire front face of the wooden squirrel one color; a rusty brown is good, if you're squirrel is to be a red squirrel.
While the paint is still wet, dry brush in some lighter oranges, reds and yellows.
After the surface is dry, paint eye and nose details in black.
Go back with a liquid of soft, pale whites for the high-lighted areas.
Hot glue on the real acorn and cap just beneath your squirrel's paws.
Use the tip of a pin to add a high-light in the critter's eye.
Mod Podge the finished surface once you are satisfied with the results.
A vintage girl shaped using chenille stems and felt scraps.
You can assemble this adorable little Christmas Miss using felt and tacky fabric glue. I believe she dates back to the 1960s or 70s. Make a whole series in any color to match your tree trimmings...
Supply List:
two sheets of craft felt, one navy and the other teal
gold braid rick-rack
olive green velvet ribbon
velvet pink flowers
tacky glue for fabric
white lace
gold embossed paper trim
a wooden bead for the head
acrylic paints
two chenille stems
gold twine for the hanger
Step-by-Step Instructions:
Cut two lengths from the chenille stems: one five inches long and the second, seven inches long.
Cut and roll felt rectangles to cover both the arm stem, five inches and the leg stem, seven inches. Glue down the edges using tacky fabric glue. let dry
Twist the dry arm and leg stems together at the center of both. Pull the longer legs down and the shorter arms lengths above the legs.
Pinch the arm lengths in the center up approximately 1/2 inch up and glue inside the hole of the wooden bead for the doll's head.
Paint this wooden ''head'' bead using acrylics. Paint the hair, and facial features using a tiny brush for details. let dry.
Now cut a half circle for the doll's dress from felt. The half circle should measure approximately ten inches across it's length.
Next cut two more circles from the felt. The first smaller circle should be 1 3/4 inches in diameter to shape the doll's hat. The second circle should measure 2 inches in diameter to shape the doll's collar.
Decorate the right side of the largest felt half circle prior to attaching it with tacky fabric glue just below the wire arm stems. Use notions like: lace, rick-rack and other gold trims seen in the photo above.
Attach the felt skirt beneath the wire arms using tacky fabric glue, also gluing the shorter sides of the felt skirt together.
Loop a hanger for the doll from twine and thread it up through the backside of the circular hat.
Glue this to the wooden head with the knot underneath and the loop for hanging above. This hat should be allowed to dry before proceeding to the next step.
For the collar, cut a slit through the felt only to the center of the circle. Then twist the collar beneath the wooden chin of the doll, covering the arms and skirt waist and glue it in place.
Tie a green velvet ribbon above the collar.
Now glue flower trims to the hat and additional felt boots and gloves if you like!
The following gift tags have been altered and colorized by kathy grimm for our visitors to print, cut and stick onto gifts for the holiday season! Do not resale or distribute these from any other website they are the freeware property of our belsnickle blog.
Christmas gift tags in red and green for all your wrapping needs this season, 2024.
A cotton batting ornaments of a frog seated on a lily pad. You could give him an additional crwon to make him a prince if you like but I prefer to keep him all-natural. His flesh is painted but his sharper features are drawn on using a permanent ink pen instead. You can always repaint ornaments like these if the lights on your tree fade the colors out.
The painted cotton batting frog from three angles.
To make a frog ornament similar to this one you will need the following craft supplies: masking tape, tissue paper, white school glue, cotton batting, acrylic paints, and a permanent black ink pen.
Step-by-Step Instructions:
Shape the tissues into a frog shape first. See the detailed photos below for guidence.
Shape a simple lily pad for the frog to sit upon. See the photos below.
Tape a long wire in it's center securely to the bottom of the lily pad so that this ornament may be twisted to a flat Christmas tree branch. This wire should be painted to match those colors of the branches you wish to attach him to. Paint the wire white for a white tree or green for a green tree. This will help to hide the attachment.
Fray out a small stack of cotton balls.
Using the white school glue and the cotton layer small sheets of the cotton onto all of the surfaces to cover the masked frog. This will take many layers to ''flesh out the frog.'' Be patient and allow each layer to dry before applying more glue and more cotton batting as you proceed.
Once you have fleshed out the shapes with batting apply a final heavy coat of glue and paint the frog using acrylics.
After the paint dries use the permanent ink marker to color his eyes and lips.
If the paint fades in time, it's o.k. to repaint the frog.
The frog shaped using masking tape and tissue paper; as seen from three sides.
The masking tape covered lily pad is taped to the frog and a wire underneath is taped on to allow the ornament to be attached to a tree branch from underneath. Four different viewpoints are photographed above. Click to see all pictures larger.
OVER the hills of Palestine The silver stars began to shine; Night drew her shadows softly round The slumb'ring earth, without a sound.
Among the dewy fields and rocks, The shepherds kept their quiet flocks, And looked along the dark'ning land That waited the divine command.
When lo! through all the opening blue, Far up the deep, dark heavens withdrew; And angels in a radiant light Praised God through all the list'ning night.
Again the sky was deep and dark; Each star relumed his silver spark; The dreaming land in silence lay And waited for the dawning day.
But, in a stable low and rude, Where white-horned, mild-eyed oxen stood. The gates of heaven were still displayed For Christ was in the manger laid.
THEY'S a kind o' feel in the air, to me, When the Chris' mas time sets in, That's about as much of a mystery As ever I've run agin! - Fer instance, now, whilse I gain in weight An' gineral health, I swear They's a goneness somers I can't quite state- A kind o' feel in the air.
They's a feel in the Chris'mas air goes right To the spot where a man lives at! - It gives a feller an appetite - They ain't no doubt about that! - And yit, they's somepin' - I don't know what - That follows me here and there, And ha' nts and worries and spares me not - A kind o' feel in the air !
Is it the racket the children raise? W'y, no! - God bless 'em! - no! Is it the eyes and the cheeks ablaze- Like my own wuz, long ago? - Is it the bleat o' the whistle and beat O' the little toy drum, and blare O' the horn? -No! No! - It's jest the sweet - The sad sweet feel in the air.
Description of Coloring Page: children dressed in costume as Mary, Joseph and an angel with a trumpet, Christmas play for school or church, Nativity, a doll plays baby Jesus, shepherd staff, paper stars, theater curtain
"The school play tells the story Of the very first Christmas day. Each actor's in his glory And he knows just what to say!"
Don't forget to drag the png. or jpg into a Word Document and enlarge the image
as much as possible before printing it folks. If you have a question
about this coloring page, just type into the comment box located
directly below this post and I'll try to get back to you as soon as I
can.
''How beautiful are the lovely legends of this day; of the stories, songs and fairy lore that gather around it; the magnificence and the simplicity in which it is observed in celebrated high mass or in simple service in some missionary chapel; the lighted Christmas trees, the Christmas stockings, the happy family gatherings, the party, the dinner, the games, the sleigh rides-they are all natural signs of Christmas. And on this day the consciousness of mankind declares that peace on earth is only possible when good will is expressed to all men throughout the world.'' - John Holmes, Age 19
Tiny cone figures were frequently produced by mass industry at the end
of the 1940s, primarily by the Japanese or in Germany for the North
American market place. Catalogue companies like: J. C. Penny, Wards and Sears sold cone figures by the thousands through the mail, while five-and-dime stores like Woolworth's
and made small fortunes by supplying the same kinds of factory made,
inexpensive holiday ornaments directly from store displays and shelves.
My vintage inspired angels are made the old-fashioned way, by hand. Factory made ornaments became popular after the first and second World Wars. Prior to that time, most ornaments were either made at home or supplied by various cottage industries throughout Western Europe and The United States, wherever Christmas trees were most popular. I've posted some examples of these manufactured angles below.
To make cone shaped angels, your will need the following supplies: cotton batting balls (for heads), decorative papers (tiny Christmas designs), scrap cardboard, trim for bottom of skirts (lace and rick-rack), acrylic paints for heads and arms, thin wire for arms, tiny novelties for angels to hold (see pictures), white glue and hot glue.
Step-by-Step Instructions:
Roll heads from cotton batting and white glue.
Cut out skirts
from patterned Christmas papers.
Shape and paste the paper skirts
into cones.
Glue the head on top.
Stuff the cone shaped skirts with
acrylic batting.
Glue a cardboard disk to the bottom of the cones.
Glue the pom pom features to the top of the head(s), one or two.
Wrap the string around the pom poms and above the forehead areas to make the hair design.
Cut the wings from decorative papers and glue these on.
Wrap cotton batting around thin wire and let dry.
Cut small pieces of that wire for arms and attach these with hot glue.
Hot glue tiny gifts for angels to carry: holly and berries, bows for presents, snowflakes, bottle brush trees etc...
Smear on touches of white glue and sprinkle angle wings with glitter.
Left, roll heads from cotton batting and white glue. Center, cut out skirts from patterned Christmas papers. Right, shape and paste the paper skirts into cones, glue the head on top. I stuff the cone shaped skirts with acrylic batting and glue a cardboard disk to the bottom of the cones.
Left, tiny cone angels hold: holly, bow and snowflake. Center several have bottle brush trees. Right, one has wings cut from a doily... and many have transparent glitter stuck to their wings.
Left, my tiny vintage cone angel ornaments. I hang these on my feather tree every Christmas. Right, old catalogue page shown. Elf-like figures. Pine-cone dwarfs, Santas, angels, snowmen. Cotton felt. Stand or hang from tree. Set of 15. From Japan. Shipping weight 12 oz.
Close up of a tiny vintage cone angle from the 1960s. This tiny angel has a metallic paper skirt and embossed gold wings. She carries two candles in her small chenille stem armature. Her head is made from cotton batting. She has a beaded collar and hair made from tinsel.
Close up of a tiny pink vintage cone angel from the 1960s. Her dress is made from painted pink cardboard sprinkled with silver glitter. She has white chenille stem arms and holds a tiny sprig of green to represent a tree. Her wings are embossed and pink, her head is a cotton batting ball and her yellow hair is made from a silky strand of yarn.
Left, are miniature angels with tulle skirts playing harps. Right the very same hold lights, seen in catalogue.
Pattern for making a cone angel and one version of wings.
One of many Christmas spiders that hang on our trees during the holidays. This one is made from wire and cotton batting and a tiny bit of paint. The face is modeled from Sculpey pressed into a factory made mold. I'm not sure whether or not one of these may be found just anywhere... So crafters may need to paint a small wooden bead and attach it to their spider's body for a head.
This cotton batting spider hangs on a white Christmas tree ordinarily, however, this year she has been hung on a woodland themed tree in our study.
Supply List:
Sculpey (oven-bake clay)
thin wire or chenille stems
acrylic paint
white cotton balls
white school glue
hot glue and hot glue gun
white thread
transparent glitter.
Step-by-Step Instructions:
First, cut long lengths of a thin wire or chenille stems to wrap with cotton batting. If you are using chenille stems, trim off excess fuzz, before wrapping these stems.
Unravel several white cotton balls and dap on the glue to the surface of the wire.
Twist the cotton fuzz around the sticky surface of the wire. You can roll the wire between the palms of your hands to get the cotton to adhere evenly.
Now shape the spider's web twisting and trimming off ends as you go. Hang the web and let dry.
To make the spider, cut eight short legs for the arachnid and wrap or glue these to a oval shaped bead.
Glue on a head, I molded one from Sculpey.
Cover the surfaces of the spider with a bit more cotton batting and glue and then attach the spider to the web using thread or hot glue.
Paint on a few details if you like. I painted stripes on this spider and highlighted eye-brows.
Brush more white glue on the entire surface of the spider and web to sprinkle on transparent glitter.
Left, the spider prior to painting. Right, the painted version.
The spider get a shower of glitter after painting.
Last year, my older daughter assembled this vintage wreath using dozens of cut felt leaves and her grandmother's collection of turned, wooden ornaments. Smaller collections that once hung on family Christmas trees can be displayed and preserved for future generations on wreaths. This display lends opportunity to appreciate vintage trinkets that ordinarily might get lost in jumbled shoebox collections fit only for rummage sales. What looks broken and uninteresting to folks digging through unwanted items, takes on a new purpose to those who have an eye for designing new displays. Wreaths may be adapted in size and design for far less expense compared to an entire Christmas tree display. They also make elegant, meaningful gifts for those confined to smaller living quarters, such as: retirement homes, tiny apartments, office spaces etc...
The snow lies thick upon the ground, The leaves have dropped from off the trees; Of woodland songs we hear no sound, For ice-cold is the bitter breeze.
The singing birds are silent now, With mournful look and drooping wing; Starving of cold and hunger, how Can they with mirthful music sing?
But winter has its charms for those Who live in happy homes. Our boys Our girls, who know nor grief nor woes, Ah! winter has for them its joys:
Its happy Christmas holidays, When home, so dear, seems dearer yet; With mother's kiss and father's praise, Ah! who such joys can e'er forget?
And then the Christmas visit paid To Granddad in his country home; Where many a merry boy and maid Will cry, 'Granddad, we've come, we've come!'
Dear youthful days, how bright they seem To happy-hearted girl and boy! In after years they're but a dream, But still, a dream of love and joy.
I want to tell you to-night a story which has been told to little children in Germany for many hundreds of years...
Once upon a time, a long, long time ago, on the night before Christmas, a little child was wandering all alone through the streets of a great city. There were many people on the street, fathers and mothers, sisters and brothers, uncles and aunts, and even gray-haired grandfathers and grandmothers, all of whom were hurrying home with bundles of presents for each other and their little ones. Fine carriages rolled by, express wagons rattled past, even old carts were pressed into service, and all things seemed in a hurry and glad with expectation of the coming Christmas morning.
From some of the windows bright lights were already beginning to stream until it was almost as bright as day. But the little child seemed to have no home and wandered about listlessly from street to street. No one seemed to notice him, except perhaps Jack Frost, who bit his bare toes and made the ends of his fingers tingle. The north wind, too, seemed to notice the child, for it blew against him and pierced his ragged garments through and through, causing him to shiver with cold. Home after home he passed, looking with longing eyes through the windows, in upon the glad, happy children, most of whom were helping to trim the Christmas trees for the coming morrow.
"Surely," said the child to himself, " Where there is so much gladness and happiness, some of it may be for me." So with timid steps he approached a large and handsome house. Through the windows he could see a tall and stately Christmas tree already lighted. Many presents hung upon it. Its green boughs were trimmed with gold and silver ornaments. Slowly he climbed up the broad steps and gently rapped at the door. It was opened by a tall and stately footman, who had on white gloves and shiny shoes and a large white cravat. He looked at the little child for a moment, then sadly shook his head and said, " Go down off the steps. There is no room for such as you here." He looked sorry as he spoke; possibly he remembered his own little ones at home, and was glad that they were not out in this cold and bitter night. Through the open door a bright light shone, and the warm air, filled with the fragrance of the Christmas pine, rushed out through the door and seemed to greet the little wanderer with a kiss. As the child turned back into the cold and darkness, he wondered why the footman had spoken so, for surely, thought he, those little children would love to have another companion join them in their joyous Christmas festival. But the little children inside did not even know that he had knocked at the door.
The street seemed colder and darker to the child than before, and he went sadly forward, saying to himself," Is there no one in all this great city who will share this Christmas with me?" Farther and farther down the street he went, to where the homes were not so large and beautiful. There seemed to be little children inside of nearly all the houses. They were dancing and frolicking about. There wereChristmas trees in nearly every window, with beautiful dolls and trumpets and picture books, and balls, and tops, and other nice toys hung upon them. In one window the child noticed a little lamb made of soft white wool. Around its neck was tied a red ribbon. It had evidently been hung on the tree for one of the children. The little wanderer stopped before this window and looked long and earnestly at the beautiful things inside, but most of all was he drawn towards this white lamb. At last, creeping up to the window pane he gently tapped upon it. A little girl came to the window and looked out into the dark street where the snow had now begun to fall. She saw the child, but she only frowned and shook her head and said, " Go away and come some other time. We are too busy to take care of you now." Back into the dark, cold street he turned again. The wind was whirling past him and seemed to say," Hurry on, hurry on, we have no time to stop. 'Tis Christmas eve and everybody is in a hurry to-night."
Again and again the little child rapped softly at door, or window pane. At each place he was refused admission. One mother feared he might have some ugly disease which her darlings would catch; another father said he had only enough for his own children, and none to spare for beggar brats. Still another told him to go home where he belonged, and not to trouble other folks.
The hours passed; later grew the night, and colder blew the wind, and darker seemed the street. Farther and farther the little one wandered. There was scarcely anyone left upon the street by this time, and the few who remained did not seem to see the child, when suddenly ahead of him there appeared a bright, single ray of light. It shone through the darkness into the child's eyes. He looked up smiling and said, " I will go where the little light beckons, perhaps they will share their Christmas with me."
Hurrying past all the other houses he soon reached the end of the street and went straight up to the window from which the light was streaming. It was a poor, little, low house, but the child cared not for that. The light seemed still to call him in. What do you suppose the light came from? Nothing but a tallow candle which had been placed in an old cup with a broken handle, in the window, as a glad token of Christmas eve. There was neither curtain nor shade to the little square window, and as the little child looked in he saw standing upon a small wooden table a branch of a Christmas tree. The room was plainly furnished, but was very clean. Near the fire-place sat a lovely faced mother with a little two-year old on her knee and an older child beside her. The two children were looking into their mother's face and listening to a story. She must have been telling them a Christmas story, I think. A few bright coals were burning in the fire-place, and all seemed light and warm within.
The little wanderer crept closer and closer to the window pane. So sweet seemed the mother's face, so loving seemed the little children, that at last he took courage and tapped gently, very gently, on the door. The mother stopped talking, the little children looked up. "What was that mother?" asked the little girl at her side. "I think it was some one tapping on the door," replied the mother. '"Run as quickly as you can and open it, dear, for it is a bitter cold night to keep any one waiting in this storm." "Oh, mother, I think it was the bough of the tree tapping against the window pane," said the little girl, "Do please go on with our story." Again the little wanderer tapped upon the door. "My child, my child," exclaimed the mother rising, "That certainly was a rap on the door. "Run quickly and open it. No one must be left out in the cold on our beautiful Christmas eve."
The child ran to the door and threw it wide open. The mother saw the ragged stranger standing without, cold and shivering, with bare head and almost bare feet. She held out both hands and drew him into the warm bright room. "Oh, you poor, dear child, come in as quickly as you can, and get warm! Where did you come from, and where are you going? Have you no home? Have you no mamma? Have you no Christmas to celebrate.
The mother put her arms around the strange child, and drew him close to her breast. "He is very cold, my children," said she. "We must warm him and feed him, and give him some clothes." "And," added the little girl, "we must love him and give some of our Christmas, too." "Yes," said the mother, "but first let us warm him."
So she sat down beside the fire with the child on her lap, and her own two little ones warmed his half-frozen hands in their own, and the mother smoothed his tangled curls, and bending low over his head, kissed the child's face. She gathered the three little ones together in her arms and the candle and the firelight shone over them, and for a few moments the room was very still. Then the mother whispered to the little girl, and the child ran (quickly into the next room and soon returned with a roll of bread and a bowl of milk which had been set aside for her own breakfast the next morning.
The little two-year-old, who had slipped away from his mother's side, was happy that he, too, could help the little stranger by bringing the wooden spoon from the table. By and by the little girl said softly to her mother, " May we not light the Christmas tree, and let this little child see how beautiful it will look?" "Yes," said the mother. With that she seated the child on a low stool beside the fire, and went herself to fetch the few simple ornaments which from year to year she had saved for her children's Christmas trees. They were soon busy preparing the tree and lighting the candles. So busy were they that they did not notice that the room had filled with a strange and beautiful light. They turned and looked at the spot where the little wanderer sat. His ragged clothes had changed to garments white and beautiful. His tangled curls seemed like a halo of golden light about his head, but most beautiful of all was his face, which shone with a light so dazzling that they could scarcely look upon it.
In silent wonder they gazed at the child. Their little room seemed to grow larger, the roof of their low house seemed to expand and rise, until it reached the sky. With a sweet and gentle smile the beautiful child looked upon them for a moment and then slowly rose and floated through the air, above the tree tops, beyond the church spire, higher even than the clouds themselves, until he appeared to them to be a shining star in the sky above, and at last he disappeared from sight. . The wondering children turned in hushed awe to their mother and said in a whisper, " Oh, mother, it was the Christ Child, was it not?" And the mother said in a low tone, " Yes."
And so, they say, each Christmas Eve the little Christ Child wanders through some town or village, and those who receive him and take him into their homes and hearts have given to them this marvelous vision which is denied to others. Translated by Elizabeth Harrison from German
"Silent Night" is a popular Christmas carol, composed in 1818 by Franz Xaver Gruber to lyrics by Joseph Mohr in the small town of Oberndorf bei Salzburg, Austria.''
