It was Christmas in an old folks' home
And the folks all sat in line
All neat and clean in their very best
Indeed, they all looked fine

They were telling jokes and stories
When old Santa Claus stepped in
With a smile that ran from eyebrows
Clean down to the tip of his chin

He asked what they wanted for Christmas
As he gazed on this little clan
And this is what they all answered
"Peace on earth, good will to man"

Then he said with a solumn expression
"God only, can give you that,
I've only got these earthly things"
And he gave his old pack a pat

He then stuck a hand in his pocket
And from it a ledger he took
He said, "Answer aye when I call you
Cause I've got you name in this book"

He then took his pack by the bottom
And dumped it all out on a table
Then he calledout Billy and Becky
And he called out Jack and Mable

And then there Jimmy, Lucy, and Beth
And Tommy and Sue and Jerry
He called out names till they all said aye
And doled out the pile in a hurry

Then the old folks thanked old Santa
And most with a tear dimmed eye
As they dreamed again of the yester years
And of happy days gone by

They also knelt and said a prayer
and thanked the Lord above
The one who watched and cared for them
And smothered them all with love

Then Santa said good-by dear friends
I've got to be moving on
For I've got to visit some other folks
So he picked up his sack and was gone

Still the old folks sat there dreaming
Of a far and distant day
Of Christmas away back yonder
Before their hair turned gray

They visioned a tree in the parlor
All decked in the silver trim
With an angel on the very top
And candles on each limb

There'd be popcorn balls tied on it
And bright shiny things galore
And nuts and fruits and candy,
And presents of the floor

They'd vision a chicken dinner
And there may be turkey too
With pies and cakes, jellies
And a dish of cranberry stew

Then Pa would say the blessing
And give thanks to the Lord
While the family sat there meekly
Around the festive board

In their minds there'd be a picture
Of a landscape white with snow
Just a good old fashioned Christmas
Like they had long, long ago