(Stan Rogers, 1979)


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 a 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