THE CHRISTMAS ALPHABET

A    IS FOR ANGELS, APPEARNING ON HIGH, PROCLAIMING GLAD NEWS FROM A CLEAR MIDNIGHT SKY.

B   IS FOR BALTHAZAR, BLACK KING FROM AFAR, WHO JOURNEYED TO BETHLEHEM LED BY A STAR,

C   IS FOR CHILD BORN THAT FIRST CHRISTMAS DAY AND LAID IN A CRADEL ON CUSHIONS OF HAY

D  IS FOR DOLLS OF WHICH LITTLE GIRLS DREAM

E   IS FOR EGGNOG WITH NUTMEG AND CREAM

F  IS FOR FIR TREE MADE FESTIVE AND BRIGHT, BY CANDLES A FAMILY HAS GATHERED TO LIGHT

G   IS FOR GARLANDS AND GEWGAWS OF GOLD, AND ALL THAT IS FRAGRANT THAT GREEN BRANCHES CAN HOLD,

AND GINGERBREAD BABIES AND CRANBERRY STRINGS, AND OTHER MOST GORGEOUSLY GLITTERING THINGS.

H   IS FOR HOLLY WREATHES DECKING THE HALLS, WITH HEMLOCK BOUGHS HUNG UP ON THE WALLS.

I   IS FOR ICE CREAM SO THICK AND SO WHITE, IT REMINDS ME OF SNOW WE DON'T GET, ON CHRISTMAS EVE NIGHT

J   IF FOR JEWEL COLORED JELLIES AND JAMS SERVED WITH TURKEYS AND GEESE, THAT WE EAT TO MUCH OF, DURING OUR CHRISTMAS DAY FEAST.

K  IS KRIS KRINGLE, WHOSE CHEEKS ARE LIKE CHERRIES, AND THE MAGICAL KNAPSACK OF KHAKI HE CARRIES, FULL OF KITES AND KALIEDOSCOPES, KERCHIEFS AND KITTENS, AND STUFFED KANGAROOS AND GAY KNITTED MITTENS

L  IS FOR LOGS THAT ARE LAID ON THE HEARTH, TO BURN WHEN THE WINTER SWEEPS IN FROM THE NORTH

M   IS FOR MISTY-EYED MAIDENS AND MISSES, WHO STAND 'NEATH THE MISTLETOE WAITING FOR KISSES

N   IS FOR NUTS WITH A NUTCRAKER HANDY,

O  IS FOR ORANGES AND OODLES OF CANDY,

P  IS PLUM PUDDINGS WITH HARD SAUCE ON TOP, AND PIES OF PUMPKIN, AND POPCORN TO POP

Q   IS FOR A WARM PATHCHORK QUILT ON A BED, AND

R   IS FOR RIBBONS OF RASPBERRY RED

S   IS FOR SLEIGHS AND FOR SLEDS AND FOR SKIS, SKIMMING OVER SNOW WITH THE GREATEST OF EASE

T   IS FOR TOPS, AND FOR ALL OF THE TOYS, LIKE TRUMPETS AND TOM-TOMS, THAT MAKE LOTS OF NOISE

U   IS A USEFUL, UNINTERESTING BOX OF UMBRELLAS AND UNDERWAEAR, MUFFLERS, AND SOCKS.

V   IS FOR A VIGOROUS REINDEER NAMED VIXEN WHO HAS BUDDIES NAMED DANCER, PRACER, DONDER AND BLITZEN.

W   IS FOR WORLD THAT THEY CIRCLE LIKE THE DOWN OF A THISTLE, AS SAINT NICK CRACKS HIS WHIP AND GIVES THEM A WHISTLE.

X   IS FOR THE MARK ON LETTERS AND CARDS THAT I MAILED, THAT HAVE WRONG ADDRESSES FROM AN OLD LIST THAT'S FAILED

Y   IS FOR YULE CANDLE LIGHTED EACH YEAR, AND THE YAWNING OF YOUNGSTERS AS BEDTIME DRAWS NEAR,

Z   IS FOR ZEBRA WITH SHOE-BUTTON EYES, PEEKING OUT OF A STOCKING IN HAPPY SURPEISE, AND IT LOOKS AS IF -- HE COULD -- IF HE WOULD CERTAINLY SAY, "MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL, AND TO ALL A GOOD DAY."