Look for the Givers

The package thrilled, excited, for his journey had begun!

After months up in the North Pole, tonight was Santa’s run!

He waited not-so-patient as the elves stuffed up the sack,

He was among the last gifts loaded on Kris Kringle’s pack.

As the sleigh took to the skies with clips of reindeer hooves

The parcel peeked and smiled to see the snowy, lighted roofs.

The reindeer made a turn so sharp our little friend lost grip

“Santa will catch me,” but as he fell, he felt his hopes just slip.

“No parachute! I’m finished! The gift inside will smoosh!”

He floated down and just like magic, landed with a whoosh.

“I survived!” he leaped inside, then paused to look around.

Where had he come to rest, would he freeze all night or be found?

A bell above him chimed the hour, and snow was softly falling.

He looked above and saw a tower, heard gentle music lolling.

Then he heard another sound, was that a quiet cry?

Another look and on the steps, he saw someone nearby.

Someone was wrapped in blankets, but they didn’t seem so warm.

Someone was hiding in the door for shelter from the storm.

The package newly wrapped was made for happiness and pleasure,

As he watched the woman weep, what he felt had no measure.

Then, from beneath her wrappings, a small baby reached her hand.

A mother and child with nowhere to go? The gift didn’t understand.

He looked around and noticed that he’d landed near a scene.

A baby laid in swaddling clothes, on a hay bed so mean.

He wondered as he looked from the stone child to the living,

Was Christmas about Santa – was there Someone far more giving?

He tried to make a rustle and he hoped that she would hear.

Next thing he knew the mother rose and brought her baby near.

“A gift?” she whispered with some awe, “A gift inside the manger?”

She glanced, wary, supposing it was left there by some stranger.

The package knew his time had come, and hoped his gift was good.

The mother gasped, for there inside were milk and baby food.

Could it be that someone knew exactly what she needed?

Kneeling down she wept again, and at last, someone heeded.

The door opened at the chapel, and a priest called, “Come abide,”

He gathered up the woman and her child to go inside.

“We will find a place for you, a safe place for you to stay.

You won’t know cold or hunger here, not even one more day.”

The spirit of the package lingered, for hope was his new name.

Hope, the gift for everyone, the reason Christmas came.

As he sailed into the sky, dancing with the snow,

Hope looked upon the child in the manger there below.

He thought about this night, the first journey the gift had known.

It seemed to him that Santa didn’t do this all alone.

Upon the earth walked people living out the gift serene.

Though fewer with each passing day, they still exist, he’d seen.

“Maybe I can find more,” the gift hoped as he sailed away.

“There must be more who make it Christmas every single day.”