Christmas Every Week: Birthday, Jesus!
Arnold Kellett’s poem invites us to join the Jesus birthday party.
Join the Jesus birthday party!
Universal Yule-tide cheer,
Lakes of liquor, punch and wine
And ever-flowing beer;
Tons of turkey, pork and ham,
Mountains of mince pies,
Piles of richest Christmas pud -
So come and feast your eyes,
And fill yourself until you burst,
And slake your alcoholic thirst,
And sport a Christmas-cracker hat,
Then take your ease, and doze or chat,
With tinselled tree and pretty cards
Surrounding you with kind regards;
Then Christmas birthday cake and cheese,
And nuts and fruit and whatever you please . ..
In fact, too much upon your plate
To think whose birth you celebrate:
Royal guests who've quite expelled
The one for whom the party's held,
And like the crowded inn of old
Keep the King ... out in the cold.
