A contribution from Johanna Woodchild:

In celebration of the Winter Solstice, which occurs on Monday, December 21st, I share with you this poem, which appeared in the newsletter of the UU Church of the Larger Fellowship c. 1980.

FIRST CHRISTMAS

A hundred thousand years ago
A cave-man looked at ice and snow
And watched the sun descending low
And terror gripped his brain.

He traced that sun with anxious eyes
Retreating down the southern skies
As if to set no more to rise.
Would total darkness reign?

His dreadful fear remained the same
Until the winter solstice came.
And then that ball of solar flame
Began returning north.

He staged a celebration then
And so did Christmas then begin
Because it had its origin
In tilting of the earth.

The manger-cradle of the King
The shepherds hear the angels sing
The star, the gifts the wise men bring —
All this was added on.

And Santa Claus and Christmas trees
With all the gifts the season sees
The cause that started all of these
Was worship of the sun.

Leonard Moser