Appreciating Christmas.

by Gem Dracup
(UK)

As Christmas nears, cathedrals sing
And bells toll loud and clear.
This poem hopes that it will bring
A touch of Christmas cheer.

I wrote my note to Santa and
The chimney? Up it went.
It's on its way to Lapland and
To elves it shall present.

The stocking's hung above the fire,
I fear a lump of coal:
My naughty list position's higher
And God knows heart and soul.

Santa comes at night with Dancer,
Dasher, Comet, Vixen.
And heading up the sleigh are Prancer,
Cupid, Donner, Blitzen.

He climbs inside the chimney, right,
Into the fireplace.
And squeezes through the doorway tight
Yet leaves no single trace.

Apart from all the mince pies (crumbs)
An empty glass of sherry.
The joyfulness of Christmas comes,
Let's eat drink and be merry.

The berries red and holly green
Collected on the floor
Adorning all the festive scene
The wreath's up on the door

The tree is up, the tinsel's out
The table's set to dine,
I still won't touch a brussels sprout...
I'd rather have the wine.

"And come, they told me, rah-pum-pum,"
Said Little Drummer Boy.
"I've pulled my cracker and released
My rubbish plastic toy."

The christmas pudding's set alight
A sprinkling of brandy
And if your tummy's not yet tight,
Then have a cane of candy?

I bit down on a sixpence, now
My teeth are rather sore.
It's just a way of learning how
It's less pain to be poor.

The Christmas meaning's not about
The money, so just smile.
As Good King Wenceslas looked out
A-chuckling all the while:

"I think that you've forgot," he said,
"The Christmas story's worth,
And how it all began," he said,
"With Jesus' holy birth."

The angels that we've heard on high
Sing sweetly on the plains.
And then the mountains, in reply,
Repeat their joyous strains.

The Angel, Gabriel, he came
To Mary; soon a mum.
Great news, the words he would proclaim
He said, "You'll have a son."

Two people, on a donkey rode
To Bethlehem that night.
The inn was full to overload,
But then there shone a light.

"I have a place", the keeper said
"A stable full of hay,
It won't be like a feather bed
But for a one night stay...?"

In Royal David's City, on
That Silent, Holy night,
The future fears of Earth were gone,
And all was calm and bright.

The baby Jesus, manger laid,
Wrapped up in swaddling clothes.
Two thousand years, to him, we've prayed
And followed where he goes.

The shepherds watched their flocks by night,
All seated on the ground.
The star, it was their guiding light,
To where the babe was found.

And then three kings (from Orient are),
Who, bearing gifts of gold,
Had travelled, long, from lands afar,
To see the story told.

King Herod fooled, so Jesus thrived
And lived as man on Earth.
And thus the words of God survived;
Through baby Jesus' birth.

So woke I, Christmas morn and felt
All fuzzy, warm and nice.
The cooking turkey that I smelt;
All sugar, sweet and spice.

The Earth, did Baby Jesus bless,
My heart just might explode.
No longer would I need progress
Along a lonely road.

I saw that Santa Claus had been,
A snowy window sill.
And through the pane, I saw a scene,
The warmed my heart yet still:

The robin on the spade, he winked.
He winked, well fancy that?

And with that he was gone; I blinked.

I blinked.

Gone.

Just like that.