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 an-any man
Found the place his heart was dreaming of
And he kept his promise to a star above
The day that love began
Mmm, mmm-hmm
Mmm-hmm
Hmm-hmm
Mmm-hmm