Photo: sammydvintage.com

Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
Oh no, wait!  Don’t be silly!  Of course there was Mother
wrapping one gift, then two, then wait, there’s another.

There were piles on tables and piles on chairs
Some wrapped like patchwork, others with care.
There were gifts to the left and gifts to the right
And still gifts to go:  This could take all night.

The stockings were hung, not with care, but a nail
There were cards to stamp and get into the mail
There were cookies to frost and a pie still to bake
Candy canes to hang and icing for cake.

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While Lego and Xbox dreams ricocheted in their heads.
They’d eaten the sugar plums, devoured the sweets
Gone to bed without brushing high fructose…