The Tuesday Before Christmas

                         I know, I know, I said that I wouldn't post anything this month, but I couldn't pass up the opportunity to share with you this wonderful Christmas poem from my very talented cousin. So really, if you think about it it's not my post at all! :) Hope you enjoy (even if it is a little late)!             

                                         The Tuesday Before Christmas
                                                               
                                                         by Allie Lloyd

‘Twas the Tuesday before Christmas,

And all was abuzz

The people weren’t ready—

In fact, no one was!

There were presents to wrap

 And stockings to hang,

Plus cookies to ice

Before the church bells rang!

But no one was more behind

It seemed

Than the old man himself—

It was worse than he’d dreamed.

“They’ve all forgotten,”

He said to himself.

“They think it’s all about

The toys on the shelf.”

“And why not?” he asked.

“I’ve been bad as they.

Pretending to ride

In some old-fangled sleigh.”

“The true reason has been buried—

Long ago forgotten.

Is there anything to be done

To keep Christmas from being rotten?”

“Of course there is,”

Said a voice from the hall.

“Don’t you remember why we’re here?

Why there’s a Christmas at all?”

“That’s the problem,”

Said the man to his wife.

“It’s all about presents now,

Not the true gift of Life.”

“That was to be

My job, you see.

To make sure they remembered—

And remembered with glee.”

“It started in Israel,

The place of His birth.

There were no pine trees then,

No cookies, no hearth.”

“I stood on street corners,

Telling the great news

That little town of Bethlehem—

Back then there was no ruse.”

“I gave presents to the poor,

As all are supposed to do,

And by and by

I gave to the rich, too.”

“This was my pattern,

I was being a Light.

Until I got scared

And started giving at night.”

“And that’s where I am now.

I have quite an operation.

The myth of Santa Claus

Has spread to almost every nation.”

“But as what cost?”

Cried he.

“No one remembers.

No one but me.”

“That’s not true.”

His wife hurried to add.

“There are plenty who remember,

And plenty who are glad.”

“If we all join our voices,

Together, it’s true,

There’s no telling—no telling

What our voices can do!”

“By jolly you’re right!

That’s just what I needed!”

And he hurried away,

His path not impeded.

Next Tuesday morning

Dawned happy and bright

Kids ran to the tree

After a restless night.

And under the tree

They found presents galore.

It was everything they had wanted—

Plus many more!

As they grabbed their gifts

Brought by good ol’ Saint Nick,

A note caught their eye—

They read it right quick.

“Dear child,” it read.

“I know you haven’t been good.

But you’re getting presents anyway.

Do you really think you should?”

“On this Christmas day

Two thousand years ago

God’s Son came to Earth

‘And lo

The angel of the Lord came upon them,

And the glory of the Lord shone round about them,

And they were sore afraid.

And the angel said unto them, “Fear not:

For behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy,

Which shall be to all people.

For unto you is born this day in the city of David

A Savior, which is Christ the Lord.

And this shall be a sign unto you;

Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.”

And suddenly there was with the angel

A multitude of heavenly hosts praising God, and saying,

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth, peace, goodwill to men.”’

[Luke 2:9-14]

We didn’t deserve

This most wondrous gift.

It was given to solve

The most awful rift

Between man and God

(Because of our naughtiness.)

This is the true reason

For this most joyous of seasons.

So as you open your presents

This Christmas morn

Just remember—

A Savior has been born!”