I Dream Of Christmas written by Granny Wilson
I dream of Christmases of long ago
Of trampling home thru cold and snow
Of sitting by the hearth with hearts aglow
And looking forward to Christmas.
I think of times that used to be
When Mom chopped down the holly tree
And James was probably not more than three
And we had the grandest Christmas.
At Christmas there’s more love and cheer,
Perhaps because our Lord seems near
Because he came in a lowly way
And brought love and hope and Christmas.
Lord hear this prayer that’s in my heart
That Christmas love may not depart
That each year hearts both young and old
May have a dream of Christmas.
I hope you enjoyed Granny’s Christmas poem. A few of the Christmas memories I read this year spoke of using holly trees as Christmas trees. The bright red berries on she-hollies makes it easy to see why folks would think of using them. And since folks were generally tougher back then I doubt they thought much about the sharpness of the leaves like I would today.
Last night’s video: Christmas at Celebrating Appalachia 23.
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Such a beautiful poem, straight from the heart. Granny is such a blessing and so talented. I enjoyed her singing Silent Night, cute as a button in her red sweater and hat.
Granny is such a precious soul. So glad you’ve shared her with all of us through the years! The poem is very sweet. I used to think you and your family got all your talent from Pap! Lolol.
(On another subject, whatever happened to Wild Bill?)
Jo-he passed away. We all still talk about his antics 🙂
I wrote a poem for my 1 yr old grandson last Christmas, changing up the Donna Fargo song Happiness Girl in the Whole USA, to Happiest Ma’am in the Whole USA. Then this year I wrote a poem for my 1 yr old granddaughter, for Christmas, by changing up the Charlie Pride song Kissing Angel Good Morning, to Kiss a Sissy Good Morning ……so fun, hopin someday they’ll know. Y love for them, long after I’m gone, through little things like this. Loved Gyout moms poem, and the beautiful song she sang with her son.
I just saw this on the http://www.wyff4.com website. It is a short video and story by the daddy of a three year old NC boy unwrapping EVERYONE’S present under the Christmas tree at 3am. He was searching for one very special present he wanted. His parents found out about it when he went to their bedroom and asked for some scissors. They were able to rewrap his older sister’s presents. Seems like I remember Granny telling about feeling guilty over “stealing” a piece of candy from under the tree or stocking during the night. Precious family Christmas memories that will last a lifetime. At that age my couple of presents were not wrapped, not enough money to buy presents and wrapping paper too!
I’ll confess that I read the blog but also every comment. The comments are so interesting and heart felt. Granny your poem was wonderful! Thank you for sharing it with us. I’m praying for you sweet lady. Grammy from Texas
Thank you for sharing the lovely poem. I also enjoyed hearing her sing Silent Night with your brother. I have listened to it a few times now. I was fortunate enough to have received The Songs of Christmas CD and so enjoy listening. Thank you again! May God Bless you and your family.
That is a beautiful poem. Miss Louzine is very talented.
I agree that Paul should create music for it. The first stanza could be the chorus, and I bet Granny could add more verses.
Lovely. So very lovely. Thank you, Granny.
awesome poem ny granny loved it way to go girl hope everyone has a great new year as well its snaking up on us so fast only 4 days of this one left here for us as newzwaland a day ahead of you over there regards betty and love to all
Tipper I just loved granny’s poem! She is so very talented. So glad she was able to spend another Christmas with you all! We are still praying for granny to get well!
Also for your beautiful girls and their expected babies.
Joanna
Thanks for sharing Granny’s lovely poem.
So beautiful!!!! Thank you so much for sharing that with us !!!! Love & Blessings !!!
Love Granny’s poem.
I figured out how to have a white Christmas.
Just film a Hallmark Christmas movie at your house, they always have snow
I love this poem about the tree I also love. The Holly reminds me of my childhood, too, because the holly wears the crown.
Thanks for sharing your Mother’s beautiful Christmas poem. The true love in her heart shines through the whole thing. I remember hearing my first Christmas songs: “We three kings of Orientare,” “RoundJohn Virgin,” “One Horse, Soap and Sleigh” and others. I’m sure that if my Mother had written a Christmas poem, I would have gotten it right the first time – or else had a go round with a switch!
Hello Tipper. Please send my love to Granny for writing and sharing such a sweet poem with us. I’ve already read it a couple of times this morning and the words just warm my heart.
Nice poem by Granny! And not much doubt that people were tougher back then.
That poem is just beautiful! Thank you, Tipper and Granny for sharing it. I do love holly trees. They take me back to my childhood. The she-hollies with those beautiful red berries, oh so pretty.
You know, Christmas does seem to always bring out the best in us. The love we share at this season should be a love shared all year long.
I also enjoyed the Christmas video so much. One special thing that really touched my heart was Granny saying the blessing. She is a treasure for sure and y’all are so blessed, but you already know that 🙂
Granny’s Christmas poem is so beautiful. I would love to hear it put to song & then sung by the whole family. Your family is so very, very special & rare these days. Thank you for all the work you put into keeping the old traditions & memories alive & passed on down to your following generations.
Morning, Tipper! Well, yet another talent of Granny’s you shared with us! I absolutely loved her poem!! I love writing poetry myself and I love how Granny’s poem just sing songs along. Your mother is multi talented in so many ways, but then of course you already know that. What an inspiration she is!! May God bless you all everyone!
I have never known of anyone using a holly tree for a Christmas tree. Many people would break branches from a she-holly and use them in Christmas decorations. Holly trees and especially she-hollies are not very plentiful around my area. When growing up, almost everyone used a very common cedar tree-eastern red cedar.
I like your poem. You might consider writing down your memories and thoughts in rhyme and create a book of poems. I believe you would have a lot to say.
Our silver tongued songstress also has a silver pen!
Precious poem, Granny Wilson, and I too have pulled up those wonderful memories of Christmases past that brought a smile and laughter to my face and filled my heart with such love. Granny you truly are a treasure to your family and you looked beautiful as you and Paul sang “Silent Night” blending your voices together. Paul I pray you get some good old-fashioned chicken soup and your back feeling good soon.
Dressing always seems to be the main dish that we all love and can’t wait to taste, probably because we only make it at Thanksgiving and Christmas. It is somewhat like Matt and Katie prepared but not exactly. We absolutely love Mother’s dressing: 1 skillet of cornbread broke up into crumbs, 5 slices of white bread held under faucet and smushed into cornbread, 6 eggs beat with fork, 1 small onion chopped fine and 2 celery sticks chopped fine and sauted in skillet, sprinkle of garlic salt, 1 1/2 T of sage, all mixed into cornbread mixture, baked at 350 for 30 to 40 minutes. To us this is the best:) We don’t use vinegar or mustard, and you used hard boiled eggs, which probably breaks up into tiny pieces with your cornbread. Either way we sure love our cornbread dressing.
Merry Christmas to everyone and God’s best for the New Year!
Dear Tipper,
What a beautiful Christmas poem written by your sweet Mom!!
I will continue to pray for her healing.
May you all have a blessed and prosperous New Year!!!. Hilary H
The picture of the holly tree is so pretty and reminds me of Christmas cards from years ago. Granny’s poem is touching with some of the same words that have been on my mind when she said, “I think of times that used to be.”
Nothing more lovely than holly with red berries used with magnolias for decorating this time of year.
Granny’s poem is straight from the heart.
Blessings to all.
Ask Paul to put music to this poem and he and Granny can sing it for future generations.
Amen Granny. There are some who keep Christmas year-round. I’m sure you are one. I’d never thought of a holly Christmas tree, except when seeing one in the woods with berries. You all reminded me of something we used to do as kids. We’d find a holly leaf with opposite spines about the center of the leaf. Then we would hold it by the tips of the spines between thumb and forefinger, blow on it to make it spin and see whose did best. Of course we got ‘drilled’ to; the better the spinner the more we did. I still do that sometimes.
Reminded me of a song we used to sing in High School Madrigals… ” The Holly and the Ivy” and all the memories of Christmas pass that was savored. Tipper my wife was wonderfully surprised when she opened the Cook Book which I had hidden for months…. Thanks for the greetings we love each a every post and You Tube…. it is so refreshing to not have to be concerned with ANY content that comes from your home and relationships…. Have a Blessed New Year with prayers answered and life lived daily to its fullest… .In The Father’s Grace… Alex & Shelly Holloway
Lamentations 3:22-23
What a beautiful poem!
What a beautifully written poem by Granny. I love how she expresses the love of Christmas in both her past memory of the Holly Tree and the true reason we celebrate to honor our Lord
Jesus.
What a sweet poem from granny. I love the Holly trees. Their berries bright and vibrant color.
Such a beautiful poem. Bless Granny❤
We downsized 5 years ago and was so happy when we realized our new garden included holly.
I brought some in to decorate for Christmas.
Thank you Tipper for a new tradition.
Granny’s poem is almost as lovely as she is! I enjoyed those sweet words very much! I have both a male and female American Holly on my hillside!!! I feel very fortunate! Holly leaves make a wonderful tincture when boiled down and helps a variety of ailments! Holly was the wood used by wizards and and warlocks this “Hollywood” where spells and magic abound. Ain’t nobody gonna touch my trees-not that they’d want to for they sure bite back!!! Lol I love the red berries and sharp pointy green leaves.I love to watch the cardinals and birds dancing and hiding deep in its boughs…. “The holly and the ivy when they are in full bloom-out of all the trees that are in the woods the holly bears the crown!” Old Celtic melody
Inevitably, Christmas brings out the best in us. Christmas is an opportunity to learn to live and function in the spirit of Christ. Wouldn’t it be grand if it did last all year? Thank you for the poem Granny. A lovely thought.
Great poem.
I read the other comments and there is nothing else I can add except that more and more I am turning to this blog for not only a daily dose of Appalachia but a daily dose of love, caring and sanity.
Granny’s poem choked me up with it purity and love for the Lord and family.
Please thank Granny for her poem. It is beautiful and speaks to the true heart of Christmas.
Sweet poem and one that I really liked! We watched your video last night and it was great hearing Paul and Granny singing Silent Night, beautiful harmonies.
I just love Granny’s sweet poem. Your entire family is so talented in many art forms. Speaking of holly trees, we were so excited to find a tiny one growing in our woods this summer. We have never had one, so I assume it’s from droppings of one of the many birds or deer traveling through. I look forward to watching it grow and grow. I really enjoyed all your Christmas videos this year. It was so wonderful to see your decorations, your tree, your many cards hanging all over and your dinners with all the preparations. I look forward to reading this blog and watching all the videos this coming year as well. Take care and Merry Christmas one and all! ❤️.
Can’t think of anything but Lovely…and…
Great memories of long ago….and…
How the Spirit of our Precious Lord lives within us Colossians 1:27…..
How He is ever present… Hebrews 13:5-6
What a Beautiful Human Being Granny is…..inside the out…..
That is so beautiful! Granny is so precious and so talented in many ways!
Our holly trees around here are full of red berries and so beautiful. They just tell of Christmas!
God bless all y’all!
When I was little, I would go with my cousin to cut a holly tree for Christmas.
She lived at Grandma’s, and she said it was to keep the grandkids off the tree.
Kathleen, the dried leaves on the ground from a holly tree will also make a barefoot boy carefully watch where he steps. I have first hand knowledge of this.
Granny’s Christmas poem was so lovely. I really enjoyed it. Thank you, Tipper for posting such a beautiful poem by Granny. Thank you, Granny, for your heart-warming Christmas poem. God bless the Wilson and Pressley families.
Wow! That’s a beautiful poem! What talent your family has!
We have hollys on our land now and I use it for Christmas decoration but usually cut an eastern red cedar for the Christmas tree as we did when I was growing up. I don’t remember that we had hollys back then.
Thanks for sharing that poem. Someone needs to put it to music.
I love Granny’s poem. Her words of dreaming of Christmases of long ago are so fitting for me tonight. I have been awake since 2:30 laying in bed thinking of past Christmases and being with family and of the joy and happiness I once had in my life. I saw a she-holly with the red berries a few days ago near the front porch of an old home place. In the past years of my youth, I spent a good bit of time at this home with the lady that lived there, she was dear family friend that we looked out for. Now she is just another good memory. It does seem like the attitudes of a lot of people are more loving, more kind at Christmas. If we can be this way at Christmas, why can’t we do it through out the year?
I listened to Granny and Paul sing my favorite Christmas Carol “Silent Night” over and over yesterday. They sounded so good together. I will be doing it again today. Brenda, at your suggestion, I looked for the books you mentioned and will soon be buying both of them, I think I will enjoy reading them.