By Kevin Andrew Hendrickson
I woke up in the middle of the night
with sleigh bells ringing in my mind
Outside the window falling snow
All hardships of the past aside
I take my memories in stride
with happy tears for many years ago
Christmas on the prairie was a time of temporary joy
A memory that faded through the days
But our eyes lit up like Christmas lights
On those snowy moonlit nights
When Papa hitched the ponies to the sleigh
Papa hitched the horses to the sleigh
Bells ringing out our laughter
Faster, faster through the snowy night
Mama kept the yule log burning when the cold wind started churning
She’d climb the roof and nail the shingles tight
Memories so fond and dear of that special time of year
Are often known to take my breath away
When the ax was leaning by the fire and snow outside was piling higher
And Papa hitched the ponies to the sleigh
Hee-haw