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This day a year ago, he was rolling in the snow,
With a younger brother in his father's yard;
Christmas break, a time for touching home,
The heart of all he'd known;
And leaving was so hard.
Three thousand miles away,
Now he's working Christmas Day,
Making double time for the minding of the store;
Well, he always said he'd make it on his own,
He's spending Christmas Eve alone;
First Christmas away from home.
She's standing by the train station,
Pan-handling for change,
Four more dollars buys a decent meal and room;
Looks like the Sally Ann place after all,
In a crowded sleeping hall,
That echoes like a tomb.
But it's warm and clean and free,
And there are worse places to be,
At least it means no beating from her dad;
And if she cries because it's Christmas Day,
She hopes that it won't show;
First Christmas away from home.
In the apartment stands a tree,
And it looks so small and bare,
Not like it was meant to be;
Golden angel on the top,
It's not that same old silver star,
You wanted for your own;
First Christmas away from home
In the morning they get prayers,
Then it's crafts and tea downstairs,
Then another meal back in his little room;
Hoping maybe that the boys
Will think to phone before the day is gone;
Well, it's best they do it soon.
When the old girl passed away,
He fell apart more every day,
Each had always kept the other pretty well;
But the kids all said the nursing home was best,
'Cause he couldn't live alone;
First Christmas away from home.
In the common room they've got the biggest tree,
And it's huge and cold and lifeless,
Not like it ought to be;
And the lit-up flashing Santa Claus on top,
It's not that same old silver star,
You once made for your own;
First Christmas away from home.
