'Twas the night before Christmas...

'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.

Millie, Posy and Tilly trying to keep the noise down by using sign language to communicate!

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St Nicholas soon would be there.

What's more - a cake had finally been decorated...

...mince pies made and hams baked.

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads.

Though one little one had decided to stay up for the Christmas Eve Feast, hoping to escape notice by disguising herself as Santa's Little Helper!

The grown-ups all feasted on oodles of fish

Carp, salmon and herring in every dish.

 Beetroot and dumplings, potatoes and salad

A feast of such note it deserves its own ballad.

(You knew it was going downhill the moment you realised a word that rhymes with 'salad' was required. Let's see if we can get back on track...)

Then from the upstairs there arose such a clatter,
We sprang from the meal to see what was the matter.
Away to the sitting room we dashed in a crowd,
Then saw a strange man with parcels all round.

He was dressed all in velvet, from his head to his foot,
Though his clothes were not tarnished with ashes and soot.
His face was a strange one, of rubber it seemed

With piercing blue eyes, not quite what we'd dreamed.

Makes himself at home, this chap!

Sophia was not in the least overawed by this strange gentleman's appearance.

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 of his chin was as white as the snow.

He spoke many a word whilst he dealt with to his work,
Giving out all the presents, then turned with a jerk.
And fled from the room with a merry 'Ho-ho!'

'I've so much to do, now I really must go!'

He must've jumped on his sleigh, to his team given a whistle,
And away they must've flown like the down of a thistle.
We think we heard him exclaim, ‘ere he drove out of sight,
"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!"

(With apologies to Clement Moore, whose wonderful poem I have made merry with this evening!)

{Our Christmas got started early this evening with a traditional Polish meal, wonderfully prepared for us by Ewa, and hosted by Bren and Mags.  Thanks for a great evening - it was so lovely to do something entirely new and different!}

Wishing you all the merriest of Christmases and all the very best for the festive season!