Twelve Songs of Christmas, Day 2: We Wish You a Merry Christmas

Growing up one of the things we did every year was to make treats and take them to our neighbors. We spent hours in the kitchen stirring pots of caramels and at least as long cutting and wrapping them. Some years we also make cookies. One year we made homemade tootsie rolls.

After the making and wrapping was done, we’d pull on mittens and hats and coats and traipse up and down the roads of our neighborhood.

At each door, we’d break into song (eventually we were able to do four-part harmony – but in the beginning we were lucky if the song was recognizable…)

Smiles would appear and gratitude was often expressed as neighbors accepted our plate and good cheer.

Every year, this is the song we’d sing:

We wish you a Merry Christmas
We wish you a Merry Christmas
We wish you a Merry Christmas
And a happy New Year

Good tidings we bring
To you and your kin;
We wish you a Merry Christmas
And a happy New Year

And we meant those words – we knew good tidings, we wanted to share them. We wholeheartedly wished our neighbors and friends a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year through song and treats.

So even if I can't bring you a plate of goodies and sing to you, know I'm wishing you a Merry Christmas full of good cheer!