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    Home » Blog » Motherhood

    Winter and Christmas Poems for Children

    Published: Dec 6, 2021 · Modified: Jun 18, 2022 by Christy Faber · 2 Comments

    "Books make great gifts because they have whole worlds inside of them.”

    Neil Gaiman

    To make your life a bit easier in the busy holiday season, I have curated a few of our favourite winter and Christmas poems that I read to my young children. My personal favourite from this list is “December Leaves”.  Please share in the comments what your favourite winter poem to read with your children is or which poem from the list is your favourite. Follow me on Instagram @lifearoundthetable.ca where I share poems for children on my stories.

    The Snowflake

    Before I melt, 

    Come, look at me!

    This lovely icy filigree! 

    Of a great forest 

    In one night

    I make a wilderness of white: 

    By skyey cold

    Of crystals made, 

    All softly, on 

    Your Finger laid, 

    I pause, that you

    My beauty see: 

    Breathe, and I vanish 

    Instantly! 

    -Walter de la Mare- 

    A Heavy Snowfall

    Now all the world is white,

    But where is one to find a spot 

    To view the lovely sight?

    -Riu-

    Snowball

    I made myself a snowball
    As perfect as could be.
    I thought I'd keep it as a pet
    And let it sleep with me.
    I made it some pajamas
    And a pillow for its head.
    Then last night it ran away,
    But first it wet the bed.

    -Shel Silverstein-

    Winter Morning Poem

    Winter is the king of showmen,
    Turning tree stumps into snow men
    And houses into birthday cakes
    And spreading sugar over lakes.
    Smooth and clean and frosty white,
    The world looks good enough to bite.
    That's the season to be young,
    Catching snowflakes on your tongue!
    Snow is snowy when it's snowing.
    I'm sorry it's slushy when it's going.

    -Ogden Nash-

    December Leaves

    The fallen leaves are cornflakes
    That fill the lawn’s wide dish,
    And night and noon
    The wind’s a spoon
    That stirs them with a swish.
    The sky’s a silver sifter,
    A-sifting white and slow,
    That gently shakes
    On crisp brown flakes
    The sugar known as snow

    -Kaye Starbird-

    Fog

    The fog comes
    on little cat feet.

    It sits looking
    over harbor and city
    on silent haunches
    and then moves on.

    -Carl Sandburg-

    Something Told The Wild Geese

    Something told the wild geese
    It was time to go,
    Though the fields lay golden
    Something whispered, "snow."

    Leaves were green and stirring,
    Berries, luster-glossed,
    But beneath warm feathers
    Something cautioned, "frost."

    All the sagging orchards
    Steamed with amber spice,
    But each wild breast stiffened
    At remembered ice.

    Something told the wild geese
    It was time to fly,
    Summer sun was on their wings,
    Winter in their cry.

    -Rachel Field-

    Velvet Shoes


    Let us walk in the white snow

              In a soundless space;

    With footsteps quiet and slow,

              At a tranquil pace,

              Under veils of white lace.

    I shall go shod in silk,

              And you in wool,

    White as white cow's milk,

              More beautiful

              Than the breast of a gull.

    We shall walk through the still town

              In a windless peace;

    We shall step upon white down,

              Upon silver fleece,

              Upon softer than these.

    We shall walk in velvet shoes:

              Wherever we go

    Silence will fall like dews

              On white silence below.

              We shall walk in the snow.

    -Elinor Wylie-

    The Present

    There's a present under the Christmas tree,

    And I'm excited to see it's addressed to me.

    I imagine all the great things it might be,

    But I have to wait until Christmas morning to see.

    -Kelly Roper-

    I Heard a Bird Sing

    I heard a bird sing

    In the dark of December.

    A magical thing

    And sweet to remember.

    "We are nearer to Spring 

    Than we were in September,” 

    I heard a bird sing 

    In the dark of December.

    -Oliver Herford-

    Skiing

    I'm very good at skiing.

    I have a kind of knack

    For I can do it frontways

    And also on my back.

    And when I reach the bottom

    I give a sudden flop

    And dig myself in sideways

    And that's how I stop.

    -Marchette Chute-

    Christmas Bells

    I heard the bells on Christmas Day

    Their old, familiar carols play,

    And wild and sweet

    The words repeat

    Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

    -Henry Wadsworth Longfellow- 

    The House of Christmas

    To an open house in the evening

    Home shall men come,

    To an older place than Eden

    And a taller town than Rome.

    To the end of the way of the wandering star,

    To the things that cannot be and that are,

    To the place where God was homeless

    And all men are at home.

    -G.K. Chesterton-

    A Christmas Carol

    The Christ-child lay on Mary’s lap,

    His hair was like a light.

    (O weary, weary were the world,

    But here is all aright.)

    The Christ-child lay on Mary’s breast,

    His hair was like a star.

    (O stern and cunning are the kings,

    But here the true hearts are.)

    The Christ-child lay on Mary’s heart,

    His hair was like a fire,

    (O weary, weary is the world,

    But here the world’s desire.)

    The Christ-child stood at Mary’s knee,

    His hair was like a crown,

    And all the flowers looked up at Him,

    And all the stars looked down.

    -G.K. Chesterton-

    Love Came Down At Christmas

    Love came down at Christmas, 

       Love all lovely, Love Divine; 

    Love was born at Christmas, 

       Star and angels gave the sign.

    -Christina Rossetti-

    Please share in the comments what your favourite winter poem is to read with your children or which poem from the list is your favourite.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Allison W says

      December 22, 2021 at 2:41 pm

      I really like these poems! I feel like they bring a bit of joy to potentially dark and cold time. Thanks for sharing!!

      Reply
      • Christy Faber says

        February 02, 2022 at 10:04 am

        Thanks for the kind comment. I agree!

        Reply

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