Night Before Christmas

Christmas!!
T'was the night before Christmas
When there rose such a fuss.
With all these packages to wrap,
It was just 'way too much'.

Family was coming,
Food was a must,
And, with so many people,
It was either be ready or bust.

"Get up from the TV,
Get off your fat butt!
If you don't get movin',
You'll sleep with the mutt!"

"Kids, get back to bed!"
"Pitch the dog outdoors!
Get goin', buddy,
And sweep up the floor!"

T'was an annual event
And everyone knew
Voices would rise
As the tension grew.

Mom wasn't happy
And Dad was mad.
And with all the noise,
It made the little ones sad.

Nope, Christmas wasn't merry.
It wasn't CHRISTmas at all,
In spite of painted faces
Once guests entered the hall.

What was the point
In all the pretense?
Could Santa and reindeer
Come to their defense?

Could packages and ribbons
Make a home of love?
Would settling for presents
Still be enough?

But, how could it be Christmas
Without the fuss;
Without all the presents,
Wrappings, and such?

Could Christmas come
Without exhaustion, just bliss?
And should we appreciate
Whose birthday it is?

And, if at our front door,
Would we let Him in?
And would He know
The party's for Him?

I must admit I had been
Sort of selfish, myself;
In attempt to mend
My own inner self ...

Creating Christmases
To fulfill all my dreams,
Only for others to live;
Or so it does seem ...

Forgetting whose birthday
It really was
And even the joy
Of His tender touch.

And so ...
T'was the night before Christmas
When I changed all my plans,
To let the Christ-Child in
And place my heart in His hands.
© 2007 by Joyce C. Lock
To read more of Joyce's poems
click on the house


Thank you Joyce
for the use of your poem.