The Night Before Christmas 2017

It was the week before Christmas, when all through the house
The kids were asleep, but the parents were out.
They searched through the malls, trying desperately to find,
One special gift for their child, which was sold out online.
They searched Amazon, Target, GameStop and more,
Trying to find that special toy the kids asked for.
No luck was had, so home they went.
Knowing that Christmas would get here lickity split.
The days went quickly, as they had feared.
Present unfound and just days, until St Nick appeared.
When driving home one day, this Mom saw a marvelous sight,
The Walmart in town, had it in stock. What a delight!
She parked the car in hopes that the toy would be there.
She hurried on in, no time to spare.
When, what to her wondering eyes should appear,
But a shelf full of toys, and the one she hoped would be near.
With help from a salesman, so lively and quick,
She thought for a moment it might be St Nick.
With more energy than most, he headed for the toy,
He whistled, and shouted, and said their name with joy!
“Now Fingerlings, FunkoPop, PS4 and Mivo Mars,
Or, Hatchimals, Or, Barbie, Or Twitch and Pixar Cars!”
On the top of the shelf, back against the wall.
She watched him climb up the stacks, body and all.
On the very top of the stack, where he found just the thing,
The Nintendo NES classic edition with all the bling.
A smile came to her lips, as she lifted her hand,
He threw her down the toy, without even one command.
She hugged it tightly, and smiled back to him,
But the magical salesman, must have left on a whim.
She looked around once more, and still, he was nowhere in sight,
So she headed for the cashier, to get home for the night.
Arriving at home, they wrapped the present with glee,
Stepping back to watch, as her husband put it under the tree.
It was the night before Christmas and finally, it all was just right,
The presents were wrapped, the night quiet and light.
The kids tucked into bed, with love and care,
Knowing that soon St Nick would be there.
She and her husband, went merrily off to bed,
With the excitement of Christmas fun, just ahead.
Later that night she awoke to such a strange noise,
It sounded like aliens had invaded our toys.
She awakened her husband, and they headed downstairs
Hoping that nothing had gotten in the house, maybe bears?
When they hit the landing, what they thought they saw was a trick,
But it was the jolly man from the store, he really was old St Nick.
She laughed when she saw him and he smiled right away,
He had been playing with the kid’s toys, caught red-handed where they lay.
A wink of his eye and the turn of his head,
He was standing right next to us, head bent, and he said.

“The key to Christmas is held safe, very deep in your heart,
The only thing that is needed, is love from the start.
Gifts are one way of showing, how deeply you care,
But your time and your love will mean most, anywhere.
It’s all that they crave, your family just wants to be near,
Hug them in tightly, let them know that they are dear.
You won’t find that online, or on a shelf in the store,
Christmas magic can’t be bought, only shared with those you adore.”

He hugged us tightly, then headed towards the door.
We didn’t have a fireplace, so he didn’t have to do more.
Stepping out into the yard, and into his waiting sleigh.
I heard him yell, as he flew up and away,
“Merry Christmas to all, and to all a Good-Night!”

Photo Credit: Juan Cristobal Zulueta Flickr via Compfight cc