A parody of the classic poem we did for the great folks over at Such Fun Gifts.
Parody text:
Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the house
Not an iPhone was buzzing, from a child or a spouse.
No stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
We haven’t had chimneys since the asbestos affair.
The children were nestled all snug in their beds;
While visions of Xboxes danced in their heads;
With Mom in her nighty, and I in my cap,
We just settled in for a short winter's nap,
When out on the street there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from my bed to see what was - the matter.
Away to the front room I flew like a flash,
Tore open the door and threw up the latch.
The moon on the breast of my now browned up lawn
Gave the lustre of sadness, since the snow was now gone.
When what to my wondering eyes did appear,
But a large brown truck, and a door in the rear.
With a little old driver so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment he must be - homesick.
More rapid than eagles, the boxes, they came,
As he scanned them, and tossed them, and called them some names.
“Now big box! Now small box! Now small dented tin!
In cartons! In cardboard! In buckets and bins!
From the top of the ramp! Down the dirty sidewalk!
Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!"
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And piled all the boxes; then turned with a jerk,
Holstering his scanner on a hook on his pants,
And giving a nod, up on the truck he danced;
He turned on the key, and the truck starts to whistle,
And away the man drove, with the speed of a missile.
But I heard him exclaim, as he drove out of sight-
“Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!”
Full text of the original poem, A Visit from St. Nicholas by Clement Clarke Moore:
'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;
The children were nestled all snug in their beds;
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;
And mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled our brains for a long winter's nap,
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.
The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow,
Gave a lustre of midday to objects below,
When what to my wondering eyes did appear,
But a miniature sleigh and eight tiny rein-deer,
With a little old driver so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment he must be St. Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name:
"Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! on, Cupid! on, Donner and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!"
As leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky;
So up to the housetop the coursers they flew
With the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too-
And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.
He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;
A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.
His eyes-how they twinkled! his dimples, how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard on his chin was as white as the snow;
The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke, it encircled his head like a wreath;
He had a broad face and a little round belly
That shook when he laughed, like a bowl full of jelly.
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;
He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight-
“Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!”
28 сен 2020
