When Harry Harrison was at WMCA radio, (1959–1968) he recorded “May You Always” (written by Larry Marks & Dick Charles). I was one of the many millions who wrote away for the lyrics (back in the years when we actually had to write away for things!)  It has since become a New York radio tradition.  Here are the lyrics but, to truly appreciate it, I hope you will listen to Harry reading it.   (http://www.musicradio77.com/mayyou.html) 

As the holiday bells ring out the old year, and sweethearts kiss,
And cold hands touch and warm each other against the year ahead,
May I wish you not the biggest and best of life
But the smallest pleasures that make living worthwhile.

Sometime during the new year, to keep your heart in practice,
May you do someone a secret good deed and not get caught at it.
May you find a little island of time to read that book and write that letter
And to visit that lonely friend on the other side of town.

May your next do-it-yourself project not look like you did it yourself.
May the poor relatives you helped support remember you when they win the lottery.
May your best card tricks win admiring gasps and your worst puns, admiring groans.
May all those who told you so refrain from saying “I told you so.”

May all the predictions you’ve made for your first born’s future come true.
May just half of those optimistic predictions that your high school annual made for you come true.
In a time of sink or swim, may you find you can walk to the shore before you call the lifeguard.
May you keep at least one ideal you can pass along to your kids. 

For a change, some rainy day, when you’re a few minutes late,
May your train or bus be waiting for you.
May you accidently overhear someone saying something nice about you.
If you run into an old school chum,
May you both remember each other’s names for introductions.
If you order your steak medium rare, may it be so.
And if you’re on a diet
May someone tell you “you’ve lost a little weight” without knowing you’re on a diet.

May that long and lonely night be brightened by the telephone call that you’ve been waiting for.
When you reach into the coin slot, may you find the coin that you lost on your last wrong number.
When you trip and fall, may there be no one watching to laugh at you or feel sorry for you.

And sometime soon, may you be waved to by a celebrity,
Wagged at by a puppy,
Run to by a happy child,
And counted on by someone you love.
More than this, no one can wish you.

That said, however, I wish you all this and the very happiest of holidays and a peaceful, healthy, happy and abundant 2011.