News Flash: Judith Rycar is the winner of Maddie Day’s Murder at the Taffy Shop! Congratulations, Judith, and please check your email.
Liz here, with a really special post today. Our good friend, John Valeri, has a lovely tradition of writing beautiful Christmas poems every year to send to friends. This year, I asked him to share his poem with all of you. He told me he’d written this one as a song – maybe we’ll get him to record it for us! Enjoy.

My Christmas Wish for You
John B. Valeri (2020)
It’s that time of year again
I think of family and friends
Whether near or far
You’re always in my heart
I wish that I could see you now
But circumstances won’t allow
Yet if I look within my mind
I know I’ll always find
That memories live on always
Whether past or present days
No matter what the distance
The heart knows no resistance
Chorus A:
Here’s my Christmas wish for you
That peace, hope, and love anew
Take root deep within
And then we can begin
To let go of our sorrows
And look on toward tomorrow
With peace, hope, and love anew
My Christmas wish for you
It’s that time of year again
I can still remember when
The nights weren’t quite so long
And I knew where I belonged
I wish that I could hold you close
But there are reasons no one knows
That challenge our beliefs
Still I think we can agree
That memories of better days
Sustain us now and always
Because at our own insistence
Our hearts know no resistance
Chorus B
Here’s my Christmas wish for you
That peace, hope, and love anew
Take root deep within
And allow us to begin
To let go of our sorrows
And look on toward tomorrow
With clarity of mind
Knowing we will find
Bridge:
The greatest gift we can bestow
Is to let each other know
We’re still together when apart
If we believe it in our hearts
Repeat Chorus A:
Here’s my Christmas wish for you
That peace, hope, and love anew
Take root deep within
And then we can begin
To let go of our sorrows
And look on toward tomorrow
With peace, hope, and love anew
My Christmas wish for you
It’s that time of year again
I think of family and friends
Whether far or near
I can feel you here
Because no matter where you are
You’re always in my heart.

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Happy New Year! From John and all of the Wicked Authors!
Beautiful!
Thank you, John, and thank you Liz for asking him to share!
Wonderfully said! Memories are our most precious of possessions.
May everyone’s Christmas be the merriest it can be under the circumstances and may the new year bring not only happiness but normalcy and being able to physically be with our loved ones.
2clowns at arkansas dot net
What a wonderful poem! Happy Holidays Wickes and thanks for the joy of reading all of your books!
Reblogged this on Disablities & Mental Health Issues.
Fabulous!
John, thank you so much for gracing us with your song! Merry Christmas to you and yours!
Peace, hope and love, what a good wish for our world! Thanks John!
This is so lovely! Thank you! Merry Christmas!
Very nice. Thanks for sharing. Merry Christmas Eve!
That was great! Merry Christmas, to you John and all of the Wickeds!
Thank you, Liz, for sharing John’s poem with us. It really says it all.
May you and all the Wickeds have a joyous Christmas. Thank you for another year of bringing us joy.
Merry Christmas to all of you as well, and thanks for sharing the poem with us.
Absolutely makes me smile! Thank you for the lovely poem.