First Christmas

This day a year ago

he was rolling in the snow

With a younger brother in his father's yard

Christmas break

a time for touching home

the heart of all he'd known

And leaving was so hard

Three thousand miles away

now he's working Christmas Day

Making double time for the minding of the store

Well he always said

he'd make it on his own

He's spending Christmas Eve alone

First Christmas away from home

She's standing by the train station

pan-handling for change

Four more dollars buys a decent

meal and a room

Looks like the Sally Ann place after all

in a crowded sleeping hall

That echoes like a tomb

But it's warm and clean and free

and there are worse places to be

At least it means no beating from her Dad

And if she cries because it's Christmas Day

She hopes that it won't show

First Christmas away from home

In the apartment stands a tree

and it looks so small and bare

Not like it was meant to be

Golden angel on the top

It's not that same old silver star

you wanted for your own

First Christmas away from home

In the morning

they get prayers

then it's crafts and tea downstairs

Then another meal back in his little room

Hoping maybe that "the boys"

will think to phone before the day is gone

Well it's best they do it soon.

When the "old girl" passed away

he fell apart more every day

Each had always kept the other pretty well

But the kids all said the nursing home was best

Cause he couldn't live alone

First Christmas away from home

In the common room they've got the biggest tree

And it's huge and cold and lifeless Not like it ought

to be

and the lit-up flashing Santa Claus on top

It's not that same old silver star you once made for

your own

First Christmas away from home