TOYLAND
--Lyrics by Glen MacDonough; Music by Victor Herbert
--Sung by Perry Como
Toyland, Toyland,
Little Girl and Boy Land,
While you dwell within it,
You are ever happy there.
Childhood’s Joyland,
Mystical, Merry Toyland!
Once you pass its borders,
You can never return again...
Could you guess that "Toyland" just happens to be one of my favorite Christmas Songs? I believe in carefully guarding those "borders" as much as possible -- never wanting to forget -- never wanting to lose the joy of Toyland -- never wanting to completely pass its borders...
My mom taught me the values of Toyland long before I had ever heard the words of the song... You should have seen mom at Christmas! She knew how to experience its wonder, celebrate its joy, and share its love with others. For example, on cold winter nights when a freeze was expected, my mom would "sneak" outside late at night and turn the water sprinklers on so that the water would "rain" on the eves and windows of our home. By morning, Ronnie, my older brother, and I would wake to a beautiful "Winter Wonderland Land" rarely, if ever, seen at Christmastime in Dearing, Georgia. I’ll never forget gazing at the artwork of those long cascading, shimmering ice cycles covering our windows...
As "adults" and as parents, Rosie and I have continued to take these simple poetic words to heart... trying to keep "the child in us" alive with joyful wonder and expectation, while sharing this gift with our children -- Ian, Lauren, and Billy (Lauren’s husband). It must be working, because Billy has said that having Christmas at our house is like being a child again...
TAKE ME BACK TOYLAND
--Lyrics by Kal Mann; Music by Bernie Lowe
--Sung by Nat King Cole
Please take me back to Toyland;
Everyone’s happy there.
It’s more than a girl and boy Land
Where dreams just like toys can be shared.
If you believe in Toyland,
Believe in things that you cannot see;
All the world would become a Joyland;
What a Wonderful World this would be...
Let’s all try to hold on to "Childhood’s Joyland, Mystical, Merry Toyland" as much as we can,
Billy & Rosie