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CHRISTMAS TREASURES by Eugene Field

Summary, meaning, line-by-line analysis & FAQ.

A grieving father reflects on the small mementos left behind after his young son passed away on Christmas — a toy, a stocking, a lock of hair.

Poet
Eugene Field
The PoemFull text

CHRISTMAS TREASURES

Eugene Field

I count my treasures o'er with care.-- The little toy my darling knew, A little sock of faded hue, A little lock of golden hair. Long years ago this holy time, My little one--my all to me-- Sat robed in white upon my knee And heard the merry Christmas chime. "Tell me, my little golden-head, If Santa Claus should come to-night, What shall he bring my baby bright,-- What treasure for my boy?" I said. And then he named this little toy, While in his round and mournful eyes There came a look of sweet surprise, That spake his quiet, trustful joy. And as he lisped his evening prayer He asked the boon with childish grace; Then, toddling to the chimney-place, He hung this little stocking there. That night, while lengthening shadows crept, I saw the white-winged angels come With singing to our lowly home And kiss my darling as he slept. They must have heard his little prayer, For in the morn, with rapturous face, He toddled to the chimney-place, And found this little treasure there. They came again one Christmas-tide,-- That angel host, so fair and white! And singing all that glorious night, They lured my darling from my side. A little sock, a little toy, A little lock of golden hair, The Christmas music on the air, A watching for my baby boy! But if again that angel train And golden-head come back for me, To bear me to Eternity, My watching will not be in vain! 1879.

Public domain

Sourced from Project Gutenberg

§01Quick summary

What this poem is about

A grieving father reflects on the small mementos left behind after his young son passed away on Christmas — a toy, a stocking, a lock of hair. The poem shifts from a joyful Christmas memory to the night the angels arrived and took the child away. Ultimately, the father finds solace in the thought that those same angels will return for him one day, reuniting him with his boy.

§02Themes

Recurring themes

§03Line by line

Stanza by stanza, with notes

  1. I count my treasures o'er with care.-- / The little toy my darling knew,

    Editor's note

    The poem begins in the middle of a ritual: the speaker is holding three small items — a toy, a sock, and a lock of hair. Referring to them as "treasures" highlights the poem's main irony: while these are meaningless trinkets to others, to a grieving father, they hold the utmost significance. The meticulous counting indicates that this grief has turned into a part of everyday life.

  2. Long years ago this holy time, / My little one--my all to me--

    Editor's note

    The speaker reflects on a past Christmas. The phrase "my all to me" is quietly heartbreaking — the child meant everything. "Holy time" serves two purposes: it refers to the Christmas season and suggests the deep significance the memory holds now.

  3. "Tell me, my little golden-head, / If Santa Claus should come to-night,

    Editor's note

    The father addresses his son in the memory, inquiring about what gift Santa should bring. The affectionate nickname "golden-head" paints a vivid picture and will resonate later when the angels arrive to take the boy. The scene radiates warmth — a parent and child engaging in the comforting Christmas tradition.

  4. And then he named this little toy, / While in his round and mournful eyes

    Editor's note

    The boy names the toy he wants, but Field sneaks in the word "mournful"—an unusual choice for a child's bright eyes. It’s the poet reflecting on the child's face, projecting a sadness that only feels right in hindsight, now that the boy is gone. This marks the first shadow creeping over the joyful moment.

  5. And as he lisped his evening prayer / He asked the boon with childish grace;

    Editor's note

    The child earnestly prays for the toy, his sincerity shining through. Words like "lisped" and "toddling" emphasize just how small he truly is. While hanging the stocking at the chimney is a traditional Christmas Eve ritual, here it carries even more significance since we know what awaits.

  6. That night, while lengthening shadows crept, / I saw the white-winged angels come

    Editor's note

    The tone changes. The "lengthening shadows" hint at something foreboding, and then the angels appear — not yet as a source of comfort, but as a presence. They kiss the sleeping child, conveying both tenderness and a sense of finality. The father watches this unfold, feeling powerless.

  7. They must have heard his little prayer, / For in the morn, with rapturous face,

    Editor's note

    Christmas morning: the boy discovers his toy in the stocking, his face beaming with joy. The angels "heard his prayer" and brought the gift. This stanza captures the emotional peak of the joyful memory — and marks the final moment of unadulterated happiness in the poem before the impending loss is unveiled.

  8. They came again one Christmas-tide,-- / That angel host, so fair and white!

    Editor's note

    Here the poem takes a turn. The same angels who delivered the Christmas gift returned another year — and this time, they took the child. The phrase "Lured my darling from my side" is poignant: it’s not violent or abrupt, but gentle and captivating, like a song that beckons someone away. The child’s death is portrayed as a divine calling.

  9. A little sock, a little toy, / A little lock of golden hair,

    Editor's note

    The poem returns to the initial objects, which are now clearly recognized as mementos of a deceased child. The repeated use of "little" emphasizes both the smallness and the fragility of what has been lost. The father is present once more, maintaining his watch.

  10. But if again that angel train / And golden-head come back for me,

    Editor's note

    The final stanza shifts toward hope. The father envisions the angels coming for him when he dies, with his son among them. The line "My watching will not be in vain" changes the sorrowful waiting throughout the poem into a statement of faith. The treasures he has been cherishing aren't merely keepsakes — they symbolize a connection he believes death cannot sever.

§04Tone & mood

How this poem feels

The tone remains tender and sorrowful throughout, yet it avoids slipping into self-pity. Field conveys the grief in a personal and subdued way — this is a father with small objects, not a man putting on a show of mourning. The warmth of the Christmas memories makes the loss feel even more acute by contrast. By the final stanza, the sorrow transforms into a sense of patient hope, stemming from faith rather than certainty.

§05Symbols & metaphors

Symbols & metaphors

The toy, sock, and lock of hair
These three objects are the poem's physical anchors. They represent the child — small, ordinary, and irreplaceable. Counting them is the father's personal way of grieving, a ritual that helps him feel connected to the boy.
The white-winged angels
The angels show up in two ways: first as gift-bearers who fulfill the child's prayer, and later as the ones who bring about his death. Their whiteness and singing transform death into a seamless part of the Christmas wonder instead of a break — which is precisely the comfort the poem aims to convey.
The chimney-place / stocking
The chimney is the place where gifts come in and where the child places his hopes. It turns into a symbol of anticipation—initially filled with joy, but later, upon reflection, it becomes tied to the last Christmas the boy experienced.
Golden hair / golden-head
The child's golden hair appears in the opening inventory and is reflected in the final stanza when the father envisions his son coming back with the angels. Gold often represents the divine and the precious; in this context, it connects the living child to the heavenly figure the father longs to reunite with.
Christmas music / the chime
The Christmas bells and angelic singing weave through the poem, linking joy and grief. In the last stanza, "the Christmas music on the air" symbolizes what the father patiently awaits — the sound has transformed into a form of vigil.

§06Historical context

Historical context

Eugene Field penned this poem in 1879, a time when child mortality weighed heavily on American families. As a father himself, Field was particularly in tune with the emotional landscape of childhood. Today, he is best known for poems like "Wynken, Blynken, and Nod" and "Little Boy Blue," both of which touch on the theme of a child's death. During the Victorian and Gilded Age, mourning poetry was a significant part of the culture, and the loss of a child during Christmas felt especially poignant as the holiday increasingly became a celebration focused on children and family. Field's sentimental style resonated deeply with newspaper readers of his time, and he was a frequent contributor to the Chicago Daily News. This poem fits well within the tradition of consolation verse, drawing on Christian beliefs about reunion after death to turn grief into hope.

§07FAQ

Questions readers ask

Field had eight children, and some of them died at a young age. Although this poem feels very personal, it isn't directly linked to one specific event in Field's life. He often wrote about childhood and loss, and the genuine emotions in his work likely reflect actual grief, even if this poem isn't a strict autobiography.

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