Well it was Christmas time in Collingwood Elementary 1-6
And the teachers were all buzzing round excited for the kids
And underneath my Christmas tree were gifts from kids piled high
And there was one gift that really caught my eye

Instead of Christmas paper it was wrapped in the Sunday news
And instead of pretty ribbon it was laces from some shoes
And stuck there on the cover with black tape was a sign for me
Merry Christmas Mrs. Jollymore from Johnny Reid

Well Johnny was the kind of kid a teacher learns to hate
He'd acted a fool Disrupt my class and always come in late
And when he wasn't bugging me for supplies he should have had
He was demanding of the time I never had

CHORUS: Do you ever stop and wonder why
Do you ever think about the story that's behind
If only we could open up our hearts to really see
What a wonderful world this could be

Well the day to open presents came - it would be that afternoon
And I got thinking about Johnny and his gift back in my room
So I went down to the office to investigate his file
I sat down to read for a while...

Grade one : Johnny’s a happy child he knows his ABC's
He gets along with others and loves to learn to read
You'll often see him drawing -he's developed quite a style
His mother got sick this year... she'll be in the hospital for a while
: Grade Two
Johnny's a quiet boy he finds it hard to learn
Doesn't play with others and he'll often miss his turn
He get confused and is sometimes frightened and sometimes he is sad
His Mother died this year- he lives now with his dad

Grade three : Johnny’s a boisterous child who draws on hallway walls
He shouts out loud, bullies the crowd, and when running often falls
And when it comes to schoolwork - you'll often hear "I can't "
His father works away from home - he bunking in now with his aunt.

CHORUS

Well I put Johnny's file away and headed back to class
We opened up some chocolates, an apron and a glass,
And when it came to Johnnies gift he placed it on my knee
He said, "This is for you Mrs Jollymore - it's from me!"
I slowly opened up the box and gently reached inside
There I found a bracelet that his mother wore with pride
Then a half empty bottle of chanel #5
And he said, "now you can smell like mom when she was alive"

Instrumental…
With trembling hands I put the items back into their place
I looked up at a little boy with tears on his face
How could I have been so blind to not see who he was
Just a little boy who needed love

CHORUS
Well I had Johnny all that year and for two years after that
I took him under way wing and gave him all I had
It was lunch time and after school and sometimes weekends too
I wanted to show him what he could do
Well Johnny he looked up to me he'd smile with every pat
He graduated high school and went on after that
To grad school his masters a doctor he would be
I wondered if he remembered me

CHORUS

20 years since we last met a letter can me
Hello Mrs. Jollymore I hope you remember me
I'm getting married and you don't know it but you're like family
My dad died a year ago - would you stand with me?

I never have forgotten the attention that you paid
You taught me to be a decent boy and that men could be made
And when I was lost and lonely - you were my shining star
I sure hope you can come from where ever you are
Well I wrote Johnny back and told him that I would
But he had been my shining star - my little boy who could
For he had giving me something that my heart could not forget
It was the biggest lesson that I've learned yet