Be it Christmas or Hanukah, I don’t care which,
For the purpose of each is to praise and enrich.
For the praise we acknowledge a celestial gift;
To enrich means giving others a spontaneous lift.
You can see that the praise part is strictly your own;
You do or you don’t, but essentially alone.
If your heart’s in it, then you will feel you are blessed;
If it’s only tradition, you’ve just flunked the test.
But, in God’s eye, redemption is given anew’
For your giving to others means much in God’s view.
But this goes far beyond that proverbial mile;
For it may be as innocent as an unprovoked smile.
If you air Christmas spirit, that spirit is seen,
And that may be what’s needed, from which others glean.
For this holiday renders much more than its name—
May you find it, and live it, its goodness to claim.
© Richard Williams