CHRISTMAS LETTER

Sonny James


When it's Christmas time in heaven
Do the angels trim the tree?
And if angels sing Christmas carols
Please ask them, sing one for me

Folks, I'm a tired old postman
Then Christmas eve is here
And I guess I've been kind of grumpy
'Cause the load's been mighty heavy this year

But this morning I picked up a letter
Written in childish scrawl
It said "to my daddy in heaven"
With no return address at all

"Dear daddy" I read
"I miss you so much tonight
Christmas eve is near
Always before this at Christmas
You been living down here
The carols we sang together at night by the open fire
Are you singing them tonight, daddy
To all the kids up there?
I couldn't buy you presents
So I'm lighting a Christmas candle tonight
And I hope when you read my letter
That you look down and see the light
I'll close for now
'Cause I'm crying and I can't see to write
But don't grieve, they're happy tears, daddy
Still I'll miss you, tomorrow on Christmas eve"

When it's Christmas time in heaven
Do the angels trim the tree?
And if angels sing Christmas carols
Please ask them, sing one for me

I folded the letter and put it away
While I brushed aside a tear
Somehow I knew for certain
That there'd been a daddy to hear

'Cause all at once in the distant south
I saw a shining white light
And from far, far away were voices like bells
A great choir sang silent night

When it's Christmas time in heaven
Do the angels trim the tree?
And if angels sing Christmas carols
Please ask them, sing one for me


(Transcribed by Monique Adriaansen, Cookie, 
and Carlene Bogle - December 2005)