‘Twas the Night Before Christmas (A Poem for Parents)

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….

Bah. And a little humbug too.

I have a confession to make. I don’t love Christmas. I want to, I really do.  I want to rejoice in the warmth of family closeness, the whiff of fresh baked biscuits and the sharp tang of pine needles.  I want to snuggle up with hot cocoa and a few rosy cheeked kids while they…