Thursday, July 24, 2025

A Christmas Prayer, by Robert Louis Stevenson

 


Who knew Robert Louis Stevenson had written a poem titled A Christmas Prayer?

Certainly not me, until I was scanning a few listings for my Etsy shop and came upon this vintage card which I estimated to be not all that old (although it has an older look to it) -- probably from the 1980s.  The card is by Marian Heath.

The card front has a lovely design, sort of an illuminated style but without any gold, and simply the title and author of the poem.

Inside, though, is the poem itself, all in red calligraphy and the same lovely sort of design as the card front.


In case it's hard to read, here is the poem:

"Help us rightly to remember the birth of Jesus,

that we may share in the song of the Angels,

the gladness of the shepherds, 

and the worship of the Wise Men.

Close the door of  hate and open the door of love

all over the world.

Let kindness come with every gift

and good desires with every greeting.

Deliver us from evil by the blessing that Christ brings,

and teach us to be merry with clear hearts.

May the Christmas morning 

make us happy to be Thy children, 

and the Christmas evening

bring us to our beds with grateful thoughts,

forgiving and forgiven, for Jesus' sake.  Amen."

What a treasure!  I have five of these, so I'm planning to list four on Etsy and keep one for myself!

1 comment:

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