1966

This is the greatest Christmas for Mother and me;
At the gathering of the clan.
Grateful to be together, as grateful as can be.
For all you Children, from the youngest child to the oldest man.

Grateful that in a world of war and not-caring;
That our children have learned to lesson.
Of the Christmas spirit of sharing;
Of the selfish life of getting, giving is the great blessing.

Of all the Christmas greetings another and another;
We have received in these fifty years.
Comes over three-thousand miles from a brother;
Wishing they could come to help spread good cheer.

In a greeting to him I said, "it's been eleven years;
Since you played Santa, you and Opal your wife.
In this years greeting he said, "Bud your wrong...
..It's fourteen years", "the best years of my life."

To keep the record clear so all the children may know;
That uncle Forest (they call him) was here.
on Christmas fourteen years ago;
Changed his way of living, a blessing that brought us all cheer.

Tho we have no bundles for our family tree;
With one grand baby and more, the promise of twins.
If we live to be 90, Mother and me;
Our Golden Wedding day- the last 40 begins.

Grateful for the years of sharing with our girls and boys;
The spirit of Christmas each year.
And each others sharing their tears and joys!
Come Christmas 1967 may be most dear.

By A.Z. Matthews, December 24, 1966