Victorian Christmas

Father Christmas is in the night sky his sleigh and reindeer a silhouette in the moonlight, He has traveled all over the world to lavish his presents to small sleeping children, A family has retired and left a mince pie and some sherry, the little ones dreaming, Mr. Christmas climes up and down chimneys leaving special gifts it is a magical time. Earlier on this Christmas Eve, many excited little children on their little tippy toes, Straining to place their stocking high on the front room wall away from nosy grey rats, Some scarcely reach higher than these rats, frantic that sweets will have bites in them Older brothers and sisters unhook the stockings and pin them higher up, out of the way Mother has sat them round a table and coaxed them off to their beds earlier than usual, Told them all about the story of Christmas and why it is such an important special day, They sat there wide eyed listening to every word the very young not understanding it all, There faces rosy from the heat of a yule log burning in the hearth and everything quiet. They understand that Father Christmas only visits very good and well behaved children, And the children feel guilty as they cast their mind back over the last very long year, The children find it hard to hold their tongues hoping Father Christmas won't ride past, And that if they go to bed without any moaning and go to sleep early he will be very kind. Laying in their beds can they hear the the sound of whistles, penny-trumpets and drums, They squeeze their eyes shut tight, just in case it is Father Christmas flying nearby, A wind blows the downstairs door could that be the reindeer's and the sleigh flying past, Gradually they tire and one by one drop into a deep sleep the sort only known by children. In their sweetest dreams they hear the cries of dolls, singing wooden birds, gold ribbons, The ticking of pewter watches looked at by the rag dolls, toy soldiers guarding oranges, They are asleep and so very happy the emblems of innocence, at peace on this Christmas Eve, And when the morning finally comes they are loaded with beautiful gifts it's Christmas Day.