680    The Illustrated London News    Dec. 20, 1862
"Old Christmas" (20 Dec 1862)
Words by John George Watts
Music by John Murby

Published by The Illustrated London News
Lithography by H. Crowouill
[Source: LL-SSM-2-112-0099-01@Indiana]

1. Fling wide the portals of the heart,
  Let fullest bliss abound,
For through December’s frosty air
  The laughing bells resound.
The stars are burning over head,
  Their lovelit lamps divine,
As eighteen hundred years ago
  O’er Bethel they did shine.

CHORUS [sung after each VERSE,
with the first word variations of
"Yes," "Ay," and "Go,"]
So, Sorrow and Care, your presence we spare,
For Christmas is with us once more.
We’ll greet the old fellow,
So portly and mellow,
And welcome him in at the door.
We’ll greet the old fellow,
So portly and mellow,
And welcome him in at his door.
We’ll greet  the old fellow,
So portly and mellow,
And welcome him in at the door.

2. Fling wide the portals of the heart;
  And every thought of ill
That through the year hath stolen there
  Drive forth with earnest will.
Let all the good and kind and true
  This season calls to birth,
Throng in one glorious angelgroup
  About your blazing hëarth.

3. Fling wide the portals of the heart,
  O Wealth, and where you find
A needy fellow, drop your mite
  For love and humankind.
Let hall and cottage, chief and churl,
  Quaff now the gen’rous cup
That brighteyed Gladness brims with wine,
  And Joy holds, tempting, up.

4. Fling wide the portals of the heart,
  And young and old draw near,
Exchanging smile for smile, perchance,
  Exchanging tear for tear:
The tear, the sacred tear that flows
  When bosoms thrill with bliss,—
The tear that tells when lips are mute,
  How great our happiness.