Yes virginia, there was a Santa in Victorian Portsmouth. Tales of Saint Nick
and the practice of feasting and gift giving were evolved here in the late 1800s.
Celia Thaxter knew Mr. Charles Dickens, author of "A Christmas Carol" and wrote
of Santa, the Yule Log, decorative angels and Christmas Eve. For the first time
online, Celia’s rarely seen holiday poetry.
It isn’t her finest work. That’s likely why these holiday bits were left unpublished
in her lifetime. Seacoast poet Celia Thaxter (1835 – 1894) wrote a number of holiday
poems celebrating Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas. As her fame spread, she
often penned holiday greeting cards for a fee. Writing on assigned topics was
more difficult, she discovered, than writing from the heart about her beloved
Isles of Shoals. Her work also appeared in many illustrated children’s books and
anthologies with titles like "Lothrop’s Christmas Book". Here then are five Christmas
poems from the artist’s pen. -- JDR
SANTA
By Celia Laighton Thaxter
O dear, mysterious Santa Claus,
The best and kindest that ever was
Are you up there in the thin blue smoke?
Was that the wind or your voice that spoke?
I thought of your coming the whole year through.
Are there some children who know not you?
Who are hungry and sad in the cold and snow?
Oh find them out, for you surely know.
On the warm stone I kneel and pray:
Give them a merry Christmas day,
Please great and small and let no one grieve;
Remember us all this Christmas Eve.
CHRISTMAS ANGEL
By Celia Laighton Thaxter
Lo, the sweet Christmas Angel, high and far,
In the clear, silent ether, poised between
The light, white crescent and the golden star,
Floats o’er the dreaming world with brow serene.
The sweet and stately Angel! On the air
Loosing her fair white dove, to cleave the blue
Down the wide spaces of the sky to bear
On snowy pinions peace and joy to you!
Peace and good-will to men! Look up and hail
The tidings beautiful, the news of cheer!
O Sons of Earth, the promise shall not fail
Of love that saves, and hope that knows no fear!
CHRISTMAS
By Celia Laighton Thaxter
Carol sweet and carol clear,
‘Tis the day that crowns the year!
Up to Thee our hearts we raise;
Songs of joy and songs of praise
On the quiet air we pour;
Hear, O Christ, whom we adore!
Thou, God’s spirit and God’s gift,
Up to Thee our love we lift.
Happy day and holy hour
When man’s hope broke into flower!
When God’s promise was fulfilled,
Doubts were cancelled, fears were stilled,
When the Word Incarnate came
Clothed in music, winged with flame!
Carol sweet and carol clear,
‘Tis the day that crowns the year!
Source:
The Heavenly Guest by Celia Thaxter, Edited by her brother Oscar Laighton, 1935
CONTINUE with Ceilia’s Christmas Poems
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