A month to Christmas br And commercialism br Starts to festoon our streets br With all its frippery. br br As showy lights attempt br To give some glamour br To tawdry goods on sale br In dingy discount stores. br br And so Consumer Christmas br Is upon us one more year br Or should we call it X-mas br As now Christ is banished br br To the back of most men's minds br Almost extinct and ex-directory. br And X-mas is expensive br Excluding all the poor br br Who, dispossessed, br Cannot afford or hope to join br In such deluxe festivity. br But should we pity them? br br For they might find a simple br Christmas in their souls br Like that first manger scene br In distant Bethlehem.