Within a day of one another, I received two messages asking for permission to use a Christmas song I wrote 34 years ago!  I love the phrasing of the one request: “You came and preached at our church and brought that “gift song” a couple year’s ago.  Do you still have that?  Could we use it?”  How could I refuse a request like that?

The song is called, “The First True Christmas Gift.”  It is sung to the tune of “Pass It On” (#572 in The United Methodist Hymnal).  I wrote it while in college for a special youth service we were doing at High Street United Methodist Church in Muncie, Indiana.  High Street was almost destroyed by a gas explosion in January 1978, so this was the first service back in our rebuilt, completely renovated sanctuary.  The song was written for that celebration.

In the event that anyone else likes it and would want to use it, consider this “express written permission” to reprint and perform it.  I would love to think one or two churches might use it this year.

The First True Christmas Gift

Two thousand years ago, on a night so soft and gentle,

A tiny babe was born, in a small town, in a stable;

A miracle from God was born

On that first Christmas morn,

The Prince of Peace, Emmanuel

The first true Christmas gift.

Some shepherds in the fields, careful watch o’er flocks were keeping,

When suddenly appeared, an angel host proclaiming

“Fear not, the Savior’s come to stay,

Born on this special day,

The Lord of Lords, King of Kings,

The first true Christmas gift.

Then, wise men from afar, bearing gifts to give the baby

Were beckoned by a star, to make a sacred journey

The prophecy had come to light

On that first Christmas night,

A ray of hope, Light of the world

The first true Christmas gift.

And Mary saw and heard, these messages she treasured;

She held them in her heart, and always she remembered,

The wonder of his marv’lous birth,

Messiah come to earth,

The Prince of Peace, Emmanuel,

The first true Christmas gift.

Words: Dan R. Dick (©1979)

Music: Kurt Kaiser, 1969