Creature Feature – Nature’s Christmas Carol
Posted by Dustin Horton // December 17, 2025 // Articles, Creature Feature
It came upon a midnight clear,
Moon shadows thrown by leaping deer,
Slipping o’er the glistening snow,
Like angels skimming Earth below.
“O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,”
The sparrows trill so gratefully.
Despite the cold and wintry weather,
They nestle there, all warm together.
Jingle bells, jingle bells!
Ring from the farms tucked in the dells,
As chiming-harnessed dappled-greys,
Draw their masters’ festive sleighs.
Away in a manger, a moment sublime:
A wee lamb stands for the very first time.
Meanwhile, nearby, each one in a stall,
The cows and donkeys witness it all.
Do you hear what I hear?
The hare tips back one giant ear.
A bobcat cry from far away,
Drifts across the frozen bay.
Deck the halls with boughs of wood,
The beavers stacked up all they could!
Their lodge now bears a snowy cap,
But snug inside they feed and nap.
Silent night — not always so.
But that’s the way the forest goes!
With squeaks and screams, hoots and howls,
From mice and foxes, wolves and owls.
The holly and the ivy,
In stands of evergreen so lively,
Remind us how, despite the cold,
Life persists — enduring, bold.
What child is this born in the chill,
Within a cave tucked in a hill?
A tiny cub with eyes shut tight,
Kept warm by mother bear tonight.
In the bleak midwinter,
When deep cold causes trees to splinter,
Squirrels and fishers find safe nooks,
Yet trout swim strong in icy brooks.
Hark the herald angels sing,
Alongside choirs of things with wings,
With paws and whiskers, scales and tails,
From tiny bugs to giant whales.
Joy to the world, we are so blessed
To share the Earth with things that nest,
That burrow, swim, or creep and crawl,
Because the good Lord made us all!
Go tell it on the mountain, friends:
“God’s creation never ends!”
Declare it now, for all you’re worth:
“Good will to all, and peace on Earth!”
Poem & photo by Margie Manthey
