Lyrics

The Miracle of Christmas Gwen Swick

The miracle of Christmas, as it appeared to me
Involved first the famous baby
The second part, and the greater mystery
Was why there was ever anything under the tree for me

Other kids didn?t wait for Christmas the way I surely did
On that blessed morning every year under the blanket I hid
Hours before anyone rose I reviewed the year
And with every passing month my eye shed another tear

Misbehaving in January didn?t seem too great a crime
The wait till Christmas spanned such a long time
Even the follies of early spring couldn?t arouse much guilt
It was after the rise of the long summer sun remorse moved in and built

Childish snits in my mind became eternal damnation
And when I encountered forbidden sweets I gave into temptation
Mortal sin wrapped itself in balls of hard-packed snow
And as I named the falsely accused I felt my burden grow

Time moved cruelly to the day we saw Santa in the store
I sweated in line and changed my story more and more and more
I intended to tell all, reminding him that I?d tried
But when in the end he asked if I?d been good, I lied

After the visit it was all downhill, a churning misery
I tore up the letter my list of presents he didn?t need to see
The gifts would come from nowhere, I wept aloud my fear
That Santa would whisper the whole dark truth into my mother?s ear

I knew I?d gotten off lightly on Christmases past
My seven-year-long lucky streak would no longer last
All my sins and foibles were about to be revealed
When not a single gift for me the Christmas tree would yield

Suddenly a present was thrust into my hopeless hand
I felt the joy freedom brings to the tortured and the damned
Presents, more presents, then I heard a voice, deep and faraway
?Peace, love, little child, now enjoy your Christmas Day?

PS It was many years later that I finally understood
I wasn?t really a very bad kid; in fact, I was pretty good