12/05/2025
“SANTA'S EYES FULL OF TEARS"
‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;
The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
With no thought of the DOG filling their heads;
And mamma in her kerchief, and I in my cap,
Knew he was cold, but didn’t care about that.
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Figuring the dog was free and into the trash.
The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the luster of midday to objects below,
When what to my wandering eyes should appear,
But Santa Claus—HIS EYES FULL OF TEARS!
He unchained the dog, once so lively and quick,
Last year’s Christmas present, now so thin and so sick.
More rapid than eagles he called the dog’s name.
And the dog ran to him, despite all of his pain;
“Now DASHER! Now DANCER! Now PRANCER! Now VIXEN!
On COMET! On CUPID! On DONNER and BLITZEN!
To the top of the porch! To the top of the wall!
Let’s find this dog a home where he will be loved by ALL!”
I knew in an instant there would be no gifts this year,
For SANTA CLAUS had made one thing quite clear;
The gift of a dog is not just for the season,
We had gotten the pup for all the wrong reasons.
In our haste to think of giving the children a gift,
There was one important thing that we had sadly missed.
A DOG SHOULD BE FAMILY, and cared for the same!
You don’t give a gift and then put it on a chain!
And I heard him exclaim as he rode out of sight,
“You were not given a gift—You were given a LIFE!!!"
