My Christmases Through The Years Poem by Cynthia Buhain-baello

It's wonderful how the years could change our views
When I was young, I would equate Christmas with new shoes
New dress, and lots of food, and vacations marked by dates
And the smell of a real pine trees Mom and I would decorate,
(and the balls I dropped then would break.

Grandma cooked her festive meals while Grandpa smoked cigars
A gathering of cousins, aunts and uncles, noise and laughter.
I remember never getting the gift that I wanted (dolls)
So I made the sock dolls with funny names I invented.

The years were unkind and Scarcity came to visit
With her was Infidelity, the usual Christmas they'd forfeit.
Adversity had a way of exposing what is real
Uncovering the truths we failed to realize and feel-
A spiritual amaurosis was the world's Christmas meal.

Hearts break and homes do too.
I learned that Pain left the scars as tattoo.
Amidst the Christmas tunes, beyond the frills
A quest to know what it's about, to find what is real.

This child wanting dolls soon discovered there is more
That's not about trees and santas, not what this season is for!
It's a blessing to find real meaning and to that I'm truly thankful
That It is all about the giving, a truth that's beautiful:
That the One Who gave His Son, He gave out of love
And now I have everything in Him, our Faithful God above!