2026 Competition Entry:
Momma’s Christmas Star by Dean Batstone
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Lyrics
MAMMA’S CHRISTMAS STAR
Copyright © words and music by by Dean Batstone
Mid- December, freezing rain, in 1952
Daddy’s late; Momma waits in that small house built for two
She stands and waves as his Chevrolet comes slowly into view
And smiles to see the Christmas tree he’s tied upon the roof
A tender kiss, I missed you dear, thanks Lord for the food
They laugh at how the one small tree dwarfs the one small room
What’s left of Nan’s old Christmas balls can only go so far
Then from his Greatcoat pocket Dad pulls Momma’s Christmas star
One small light shines so bright
On the love that warms their hearts on Christmas night
Across the miles, across the years
They’ll come from near and far
Drawn back home by Momma’s Christmas star
I was six years old, in the rocking chair, in 1963
Watching my big brother play beneath the Christmas tree
Momma softly sang to baby sister on her knee
Grandma’s hands stopped knitting long enough to wink at me
Christmas carols drifted in from the kitchen radio
Roasting turkey, fresh cut pine, and the fires glow
From behind comes Daddy’s laugh, as I’m swept up in his arms
From up on Daddy’s shoulders I hang Momma’s Christmas star
One small light shines so bright
On the love that warms our hearts on Christmas night
Across the miles, across the years
We’ll come from near and far
Drawn back home by Momma’s Christmas star
It’s blue and white, that one small light, a humble piece of tin
But it brightened that first Christmas, when there was little else to give
The love that built this family still shines in Momma’s star
It somehow helps to ground me to who I am, and who we are
Now we’ve grown, and moved away, with families of our own
The years pass by so quickly, each one harder to get home
But every year, come Christmas time, no matter where we are
We come and watch our kids decide who’s hanging Momma’s star
But this year Daddy sits them down, and hugs them one by one
He tells them just how proud Mom was of our daughters and our sons
In his eyes her love still shines, and though the words come hard
With pride he stands, his trembling hands hang Momma’s Christmas star
One small light shines so bright
On the love that warms our hearts on Christmas night
Across the miles, across the years
We’ll come from near and far
Drawn back home by Momma’s Christmas star.
Copyright © words and music by by Dean Batstone
Mid- December, freezing rain, in 1952
Daddy’s late; Momma waits in that small house built for two
She stands and waves as his Chevrolet comes slowly into view
And smiles to see the Christmas tree he’s tied upon the roof
A tender kiss, I missed you dear, thanks Lord for the food
They laugh at how the one small tree dwarfs the one small room
What’s left of Nan’s old Christmas balls can only go so far
Then from his Greatcoat pocket Dad pulls Momma’s Christmas star
One small light shines so bright
On the love that warms their hearts on Christmas night
Across the miles, across the years
They’ll come from near and far
Drawn back home by Momma’s Christmas star
I was six years old, in the rocking chair, in 1963
Watching my big brother play beneath the Christmas tree
Momma softly sang to baby sister on her knee
Grandma’s hands stopped knitting long enough to wink at me
Christmas carols drifted in from the kitchen radio
Roasting turkey, fresh cut pine, and the fires glow
From behind comes Daddy’s laugh, as I’m swept up in his arms
From up on Daddy’s shoulders I hang Momma’s Christmas star
One small light shines so bright
On the love that warms our hearts on Christmas night
Across the miles, across the years
We’ll come from near and far
Drawn back home by Momma’s Christmas star
It’s blue and white, that one small light, a humble piece of tin
But it brightened that first Christmas, when there was little else to give
The love that built this family still shines in Momma’s star
It somehow helps to ground me to who I am, and who we are
Now we’ve grown, and moved away, with families of our own
The years pass by so quickly, each one harder to get home
But every year, come Christmas time, no matter where we are
We come and watch our kids decide who’s hanging Momma’s star
But this year Daddy sits them down, and hugs them one by one
He tells them just how proud Mom was of our daughters and our sons
In his eyes her love still shines, and though the words come hard
With pride he stands, his trembling hands hang Momma’s Christmas star
One small light shines so bright
On the love that warms our hearts on Christmas night
Across the miles, across the years
We’ll come from near and far
Drawn back home by Momma’s Christmas star.
Author
Bio
A veteran of the Canadian Music scene, having performed full
time across Canada and the US for over 40 years, Dean Batstone
shows no signs of slowing down. A charismatic live performer
who works solo or with a band, he’s a lover of the craft of songwriting, especially lyrics.
Dean’s won multiple songwriting awards, most recently winning first place in the 2026 American Songwriter Lyric Contest [S2] for his song ‘Angeline’. His songs have been covered
by dozens of artists and he’s had press and radio coverage spanning
his entire career to date.
Long frustrating industry observers trying to fit him into a
genre, with his diverse, uncommonly in-depth lyrical content,
he’s slowly and finally been recognized as one of the keenest
observers of the human condition.
His latest record, ‘Loveskill’, harkens back to the days of
recording that preceded ‘auto-tuned’ vocals, multi-tracking and
digital perfection. It’s on the
edge….just like Dean has been for his entire career…and it turns
out that’s a good thing.
time across Canada and the US for over 40 years, Dean Batstone
shows no signs of slowing down. A charismatic live performer
who works solo or with a band, he’s a lover of the craft of songwriting, especially lyrics.
Dean’s won multiple songwriting awards, most recently winning first place in the 2026 American Songwriter Lyric Contest [S2] for his song ‘Angeline’. His songs have been covered
by dozens of artists and he’s had press and radio coverage spanning
his entire career to date.
Long frustrating industry observers trying to fit him into a
genre, with his diverse, uncommonly in-depth lyrical content,
he’s slowly and finally been recognized as one of the keenest
observers of the human condition.
His latest record, ‘Loveskill’, harkens back to the days of
recording that preceded ‘auto-tuned’ vocals, multi-tracking and
digital perfection. It’s on the
edge….just like Dean has been for his entire career…and it turns
out that’s a good thing.
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