Once upon a Christmas Eve
A shepherd who believed
That peace could come to any man
Made a promise to a star above
The day that love began.

“I will give to Him my lamb,
A shepherd's all I am.”
And so he walked the lonely sand
To find the place his heart was dreaming of
The day that love began.

Over meadows, over mountains
They came from valleys and from streams.
Every poet and every king
And one little shepherd with a dream.

But as the shepherd knelt to pray
His lamb just ran away
And teardrops filled his empty hand.
He broke his promise to a star above
The day that love began.

Then the smiling face of Mary
Beckoned the shepherd to her side
“Today you gave Him the best gift of all
The moment that you cried.”

Oh, once upon a Christmas Eve
A shepherd who believed
That peace could come to any man
Found the place his heart was dreaming of
And he kept his promise to a star above
The day that love began.

Writer : MILLER, RONALD N./MILLER, DEBORAH
Copyright : Lyrics © EMI Music Publishing