Shabby Sunday Meme
I have a lot of old vintage books and one of my plans when I first started blogging was to do a post every week or so that shared one of my cherished vintage books. Then I thought that maybe there might be other book bloggers out there that have some vintage books, heirlooms, or maybe some old books from childhood that they might want to share. I decided to start a weekly meme titled ‘Shabby Sunday’ for those who would like to participate and share some of their old vintage books. Do you have some shabby books you’d like to share? Please feel free to participate. Feel free to use the picture I’ve provided if you’d like to. If you decide to do this meme, please consider linking back to me so that I can see the book you’re sharing.
Today’s shabby share is:
Welcome Christmas
My Thoughts:
I chose this book for Shabby Sunday because it’s one of my favorite Christmas books to bring out and read over the holiday season. I ended up finding this at a local library sale years ago and what a find! I get so excited whenever I find vintage Christmas items and this one is truly special. My edition is a 7th printing hardcover from 1965.
This is a delightful compilation of fifty poems for Christmas written by various authors including Christina Rossetti, Martin Luther, Walter de la Mare, G.K. Chesterton, Anne Thaxter Eaton (author), and many others. The book includes illustrations by Valenti Angelo which give a warm feel to the book and complement each poem perfectly.
Some of my favorites are “Carol” by Christina Rossetti, “Earth and Sky” by Eleanor Farjeon, “Nowel” by Walter de la Mare, “The Ending of the Year” by Eleanor Farjeon, and my most favorite “The House of Christmas” by G.K. Chesterton.
Many of the poems are spiritual in nature, but anyone can enjoy this gem of a book, including children and adults. I’m happy to have this on our Christmas shelf.
The House of Christmas
There fared a mother driven forth
Out of an inn to roam;
In the place where she was homeless
All men are at home.
The crazy stable close at hand,
With shaking timber and shifting sand,
Grew a stronger thing to abide and stand
Than the square stones of Rome.
For men are homesick in their homes,
And strangers under the sun,
And they lay their heads in a foreign land
Whenever the day is done.
Here we have battle and blazing eyes,
And chance and honour and high surprise,
But our homes are under miraculous skies
Where the yule tale was begun.
A Child in a foul stable,
Where the beasts feed and foam;
Only where He was homeless
Are you and I at home;
We have hands that fashion and heads that know,
But our hearts we lost – how long ago!
In a place no chart nor ship can show
Under the sky’s dome.
This world is wild as an old wives’ tale,
And strange the plain things are,
The earth is enough and the air is enough
For our wonder and our war;
But our rest is as far as the fire-drake swings
And our peace is put in impossible things
Where clashed and thundered unthinkable wings
Round an incredible star.
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
Find it on Goodreads and Amazon
- Hardcover: 128 pages
- Publisher: The Viking Press (September 16, 1955)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 067075708X
- ISBN-13: 978-0670757084
Here’s a beautiful song adaptation…
You can find out more about this album at: Samuelpegg.com or find it on Amazon.
Other blogs who have participated in Shabby Sunday:
Nicky@ An Introverted Bookworm
Thanks for visiting Shabby Sunday! What are some of your favorite Christmas books? Do you have any vintage books you’d like to share? Please feel free to comment below or participate in Shabby Sunday if you’d like to!
ReadRantRock&Roll 
That’s a simple and meaningful poem by Gilbert Keith Chesterton. He wrote the many whimsical Father Brown stories.
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Thanks for sharing that, David. I remember learning that during the interview with you, but forgot until this morning when I was reading an article about his life. I read that he made friends with everyone he met. I thought that was neat. ❤
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Delightful. Reading your post and Chestnuts roasting on an open fire starts playing on the radio. 🎄😃☺️🎊🎄 Love it.
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One of my favorite Christmas songs! The best time of the year. Thanks for sharing that. 😊❤🎄
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Always time to spread Christmas cheer 🎄
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Beutifiul ❤ I personally don't write things in my books, but finding scribbles someone else (the previous owners) made kind of fills me with a warm feeling ❤
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I forgot to mention that it was a previous library book. 😊 I agree with you though! ❤😁
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Love the gems you find a library sales! Thanks for sharing 🙂
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Thanks, Nel! ❤
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Beautiful! Thanks for sharing! 🙂
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Thank you, Janie! ❤🤗
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That’s a beautiful poem! I feel like each line gives me a lot to ponder over, which is a mark of good poetry in my eyes.
I like this meme! I don’t currently do any memes, but I do have some shabby books around here….. We’ll see if I hop in for a Sunday!
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I love this poem as well and adore the song adaptation as well. It would be very cool to see your old books too! Thanks so much for checking out the post. ❤🎄
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Maybe I’ll have to borrow a half-decent camera sometime and take some photographs of them. 🙂
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