23 Famous Holiday Poems - Classic Popular Poetry for the Holidays

21. Minstrels

By William Wordsworth

Famous Poem

In this famous narrative poem, William Wordsworth (1770-1850), recounts a Christmas tradition. Minstrels would travel door to door, playing music and providing wishes for a great Christmas season. In true Wordsworth fashion, this poem highlights the natural elements of the night. He uses descriptive language such as lofty moon, encircling laurels, and dazzling sheen.

The minstrels played their Christmas tune
To-night beneath my cottage-eaves;
While, smitten by a lofty moon,
The encircling laurels, thick with leaves,
Gave back a rich and dazzling sheen,
That overpowered their natural green.

Through hill and valley every breeze
Had sunk to rest with folded wings:
Keen was the air, but could not freeze,
Nor check, the music of the strings;
So stout and hardy were the band
That scraped the chords with strenuous hand.

And who but listened?—till was paid
Respect to every inmate's claim,
The greeting given, the music played
In honour of each household name,
Duly pronounced with lusty call,
And "Merry Christmas" wished to all.

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22. Before The Ice Is In The Pools

By Emily Dickinson

Famous Poem

Emily Dickinson was an American poet who lived from 1830-1886. The first volume of her poetry was not published until four years after her death. In this poem, it’s not clear what the speaker was waiting for, but some believe it could be Sue, Emily’s sister-in-law. They spent many years corresponding with each other but had moments of estrangement. Some believe this poem also has religious and spiritual references to touching to cloak of Jesus and crossing over to death. Or it could simply be about waiting for winter to arrive. This poem is composed of quatrains (four-line stanzas) that follow the ABCB rhyme scheme.

Before the ice is in the pools—
Before the skaters go,
Or any check at nightfall
Is tarnished by the snow—

Before the fields have finished,
Before the Christmas tree,
Wonder upon wonder
Will arrive to me!

What we touch the hems of
On a summer's day—
What is only walking
Just a bridge away—

That which sings so—speaks so—
When there's no one here—
Will the frock I wept in
Answer me to wear?

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23. Kriss Kringle

By Thomas Bailey Aldrich

Famous Poem

Filling stockings at Christmastime is one of the traditions of Santa Claus. In this cute holiday poem, he also leaves a sweet surprise for the birds, a surprise to be enjoyed by everyone on Christmas morning. Thomas Bailey Aldrich (1836-1907) wrote short stories, novels, and poems. He liked to use unexpected endings in his short stories.

Just as the moon was fading
Amid her misty rings,
And every stocking was stuffed
With childhood’s precious things,

Old Kriss Kringle looked around,
And saw on the elm-tree bough,
High hung, an oriole’s nest,
Lonely and empty now.

“Quite a stocking,” he laughed,
“Hung up there on a tree!
I didn’t suppose the birds
Expected a present from me!”

Then old Kriss Kringle, who loves
A joke as well as the best,
Dropped a handful of snowflakes
Into the oriole’s empty nest.