Christmas hath a beauty … lovelier than the world can show.
—Christina Rossetti (1830–94) English Poet, Hymn Writer
Please to put a nickel, please to put a dime. How petitions trickle in at Christmas time!
—Phyllis McGinley (1905–78) American Children’s Books Writer, Poet, Writer of Children’s Books
Christmas is not a time nor a season, but a state of mind. To cherish peace and goodwill, to be plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas.
—Calvin Coolidge (1872–1933) American Head of State, Lawyer
At Christmas I no more desire a rose Than wish a snow in May’s new-fangled mirth; But like of each thing that in season grows.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
And when we give each other Christmas gifts in His name, let us remember that He has given us the sun and the moon and the stars, and the earth with its forests and mountains and oceans–and all that lives and move upon them. He has given us all green things and everything that blossoms and bears fruit and all that we quarrel about and all that we have misused–and to save us from our foolishness, from all our sins, He came down to earth and gave us Himself.
—Sigrid Undset (1882–1949) Norwegian Novelist
Once upon a time—of all the good days in the year, on Christmas Eve—old Scrooge sat busy in his counting-house.
—Charles Dickens (1812–70) English Novelist
Midnight, and the clock strikes. It is Christmas Day, the werewolves birthday, the door of the solstice still wide enough open to let them all slink through.
—Angela Carter (1940–92) English Novelist
Are you willing to believe that love is the strongest thing in the world – stronger than hate, stronger than evil, stronger than death – and that the blessed life which began in Bethlehem nineteen hundred years ago is the image and brightness of the Eternal Love? Then you can keep Christmas.
—Henry van Dyke Jr. (1852–1933) American Author, Educator, Clergyman
“Somehow he [Tim] gets thoughtful sitting by himself so much, and thinks the strangest things you ever heard. He told me, coming home, that he hoped the people saw him in the church, because he was a cripple, and it might be pleasant for them to remember upon Christmas Day, who made lame beggars walk, and blind men see.”
—Charles Dickens (1812–70) English Novelist
A woman spent all Christmas Day in a telephone box without ringing anyone. If someone comes to phone, she leaves the box, then resumes her place afterwards. No one calls her either, but from a window in the street, someone watched her all day, no doubt since they had nothing better to do. The Christmas syndrome.
—Jean Baudrillard (1929–2007) French Sociologist, Philosopher
The only real blind person at Christmas-time is he who has not Christmas in his heart.
—Helen Keller (1880–1968) American Author
If there is no joyous way to give a festive gift, give love away.
—Unknown
Christmas renews our youth by stirring our wonder. The capacity for wonder has been called our most pregnant human faculty, for in it are born our art, our science, our religion.
—Ralph Washington Sockman (1889–1970) American United Methodist Pastor
The earth has grown old with its burden of care
But at Christmas it always is young,
The heart of the jewel burns lustrous and fair
And its soul full of music breaks the air,
When the song of angels is sung.
—Phillips Brooks (1835–93) American Episcopal Clergyman, Author
Christmas will always be as long as we stand heart to heart and hand in hand.
—Theodor Seuss Geisel (‘Dr. Seuss’) (1904–91) American Children’s Books Writer, Writer, Cartoonist, Animator
This is the month, and this the happy morn, wherein the Son of heaven’s eternal King, of wedded Maid and Virgin Mother born, our great redemption from above did bring.
—John Milton (1608–74) English Poet, Civil Servant, Scholar, Debater
I do come home at Christmas. We all do, or we all should. We all come home, or ought to come home, for a short holiday – the longer, the better – from the great boarding school where we are forever working at our arithmetical slates, to take, and give a rest.
—Charles Dickens (1812–70) English Novelist
From a commercial point of view, if Christmas did not exist it would be necessary to invent it.
—Katharine Whitehorn (b.1928) English Journalist, Writer, Columnist
The right way to requite evil, according to Jesus, is not to resist it. This saying of Christ removes the Church from the sphere of politics and law.
—Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906–45) German Lutheran Pastor, Theologian
‘Twas Christmas broach’d the mightiest ale; ’twas Christmas told the merriest tale; a Christmas gambol oft could cheer the poor man’s heart through half the year.
—Walter Scott (1771–1832) Scottish Novelist, Poet, Playwright, Lawyer
It is Christmas every time you let God love others through you…yes, it is Christmas every time you smile at your brother and offer him your hand.
—Mother Teresa (1910–97) Roman Catholic Missionary, Nun
Heap on the wood!-the wind is chill; But let it whistle as it will, We’ll keep our Christmas merry still.
—Walter Scott (1771–1832) Scottish Novelist, Poet, Playwright, Lawyer
Christmas is the season for kindling the fire of hospitality in the hall, the genial flame of charity in the heart.
—Washington Irving (1783–1859) American Essayist, Biographer, Historian
Christmas is a time when everybody wants his past forgotten and his present remembered. What I don’t like about office Christmas parties is looking for a job the next day.
—Phyllis Diller (b.1917) American Actor, Comedian
Christmas is doing a little something extra for someone.
—Charles M. Schulz (1922–2000) American Cartoonist, Writer, Artist
So stick up ivy and the bays, and then restore the heathen ways, green will remind you of the Spring, though this great day denies the thing, and mortifies the earth, and all, but your wild revels, and loose hall.
—Henry Vaughan (1621–95) Anglo-Welsh Metaphysical Poet
“Out upon merry Christmas! What’s Christmas time to you but a time for paying bills without money; a time for finding yourself a year older, but not an hour richer… If I could work my will,” said Scrooge indignantly, “every idiot who goes about with ‘Merry Christmas’ upon his lips should be boiled with his won pudding, and buried with a stake of holly through his heart. He should!”
—Charles Dickens (1812–70) English Novelist
We should make the Yuletide season an occasion not merely for the giving of material things but an occasion for the giving of that which counts infinitely more … the giving of self.
—James Cash Penney (1875–1971) American Entrepreneur
Christmas is a race to see which gives out first – your money or your feet.
—Unknown
Our hearts grow tender with childhood memories and love of kindred, and we are better throughout the year for having, in spirit, become a child again at Christmastime.
—Laura Ingalls Wilder (1867–1957) American Children’s Novelist
Off to one side sits a group of shepherds. They sit silently on the floor, perhaps perplexed, perhaps in awe, no doubt in amazement. Their night watch had been interrupted by an explosion of light from heaven and a symphony of angels. God goes to those who have time to hear him—and so on this cloudless night he went to simple shepherds.
—Max Lucado (b.1955) American Christian Author, Minister
Love came down at Christmas;
Love all lovely, love divine;
Love was born at Christmas,
Stars and angels gave the sign.
—Christina Rossetti (1830–94) English Poet, Hymn Writer
Let us remember that the Christmas heart is a giving heart, a wide open heart that thinks of others first. The birth of the baby Jesus stands as the most significant event in all history, because it has meant the pouring into a sick world the healing medicine of love which has transformed all manner of hearts for almost two thousand years… Underneath all the bulging bundles is this beating Christmas heart.
—George Matthew Adams (1878–1962) American Columnist, Journalist
Mankind is a great, an immense family… This is proved by what we feel in our hearts at Christmas.
—Pope John XXIII (1881–1963) Italian Catholic Religious Leader, Pope
Somehow, not only for Christmas, But all the long year through, The joy that you give to others, Is the joy that comes back to you. And the more you spend in blessing, The poor and lonely and sad, The more of your heart’s possessing, Returns to you glad.
—John Greenleaf Whittier (1807–92) American Quaker Poet, Abolitionist
The best of all gifts around any Christmas tree: the presence of a family all wrapped up in each other.
—Burton Hillis (William E. Vaughan) (1915–77) American Columnist, Author
Are you willing to forget what you have done for other people, and to remember what other people have done for you … to remember the weakness and loneliness of people who are growing old … Are you willing to believe that love is the strongest ting in the world … stronger than hate, stronger than evil, stronger than death… Then you can keep Christmas! But you can never keep it alone.
—Henry van Dyke Jr. (1852–1933) American Author, Educator, Clergyman
“A merry Christmas, uncle! God save you!” cried a cheerful voice. “Bah!” said Scrooge. “Humbug!”
—Charles Dickens (1812–70) English Novelist
If when we judged others, our real motive was to destroy evil, we should look for evil where it is certain to be found, and that is in our own hearts. But if we are on the look-out for evil in others, our real motive is obviously to justify ourselves.
—Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906–45) German Lutheran Pastor, Theologian
Christmas is a necessity. There has to be at least one day of the year to remind us that we’re here for something else besides ourselves.
—Eric Sevareid (1912–92) American Journalist, Author
A merry Christmas to everybody! A happy New Year to all the world!
—Charles Dickens (1812–70) English Novelist
Then Bob proposed: “A Merry Christmas to us all, my dears. God bless us!” Which all his family re-echoed. “God bless us every one!” said Tiny Tim, the last of all.
—Charles Dickens (1812–70) English Novelist
Christmas is a bridge. We need bridges as the river of time flows past. Today’s Christmas should mean creating happy hours for tomorrow and reliving those of yesterday.
—Gladys Taber
A lovely thing about Christmas is that it’s compulsory, like a thunderstorm, and we all go through it together.
—Garrison Keillor (b.1942) American Author, Humorist, Radio Personality
My idea of Christmas, whether old-fashioned or modern, is very simple: loving others. Come to think of it, why do we have to wait for Christmas to do that?
—Bob Hope (1903–2003) British-born American Comedian
Call a truce, then, to our labors—let us feast with friends and neighbors, and be merry as the custom of our caste; for if “faint and forced the laughter,” and if sadness follow after, we are richer by one mocking Christmas past.
—Rudyard Kipling (1865–1936) British Children’s Books Writer, Short story, Novelist, Poet, Journalist
Christmas to a child is the first terrible proof that to travel hopefully is better than to arrive
—Stephen Fry (b.1957) English Actor, Writer, Director, Broadcaster
Christmas is not just a time for festivity and merry making. It is more than that. It is a time for the contemplation of eternal things. The Christmas spirit is a spirit of giving and forgiving.
—James Cash Penney (1875–1971) American Entrepreneur
Happy, happy Christmas, that can win us back to the delusions of our childish days, that can recall to the old man the pleasures of his youth, and transport the sailor and the traveler, thousands of miles away, back to his own fireside and his quiet home!
—Charles Dickens (1812–70) English Novelist
However much of Christmas giving, the real Christmas must be first in the heart.
—Unknown