St. Hilary's Miniature Church Advent Calendar 2009

Sunday 20th December 2009

Rita is still recovering from a big shock this Sunday morning!  The vicar has just given her a Christmas card and letter from her son back in Australia!  She has not heard from him for many many years because she had to leave him with his father when he was a young boy.  She is just so thrilled that he has finally found her and she him!  Her son, Christopher, discovered that his mother had moved to England to make a new life for herself and it was the vicar who told him that she was living in his parish but on the streets.

Rita and the vicar reminisce about their time at home back in Australia and remember singing Australian Christmas carols in church..... ...........they particularly remember this one below this morning as it reminds them of Australia and its' wonderful wildlife!..........

t Christmas time, the birds all sing,
the rabbits jump, the lizards crawl,
at Christmas time the outback rings
and all for the birth of God.

 CHORUS
At the birth of God the wallabies hop,
for the birth of God the cockatoos squawk,
for the birth of God the platypus swims,
for the birth of God the kookaburras laugh,
for the birth of God was such exciting news they’d never heard before,
they came from all the land to see
this baby in the straw.
And if you were there, you would’ve seen the wise old kangaroo:

O, I’ve starved in droughts and swum the floods,
I’ve hopped around both up and down,
through hills and plains I’ve never seen
such a baby in the straw:

 CHORUS

And if you were there, you would’ve heard the wise little bandicoot:

O, I’ve snuffled and fossicked the midnight scrub,
I’ve been in logs and fogs and bogs,
Well, bless my days, I’ve never heard
of a baby in the straw:  

CHORUS

And if you were there, you would’ve heard the wise old noisy crow:

I’ve flown this land seen many a baby,
born in burrows, trees and furrows,
but yet this one outshines them all,
this baby in the straw:  

CHORUS

Printed here with permission.
Words and music by Leigh Newton © 1982
A CD with the carol on can be purchased - visit Leigh's website: http://www.leighnewton.com.au