My Christmas Poem

The following poem is an old one, one that I have been posting almost every year since I wrote it.  However, this is MY blog, so I can post it again if I want to!  :)  I've written other Christmas poems, but this one is my favorite.

The story behind the writing of this poem is interesting and timely.

It was 1983: the year of the dreaded Cabbage Patch Dolls.  As I mentioned in an earlier blog, it was not a good time.  Working in a department store was not the best place to be that particular Christmas.  I was really seeing almost the very worst of humanity.  The Christmas Spirit seemed to have flown away.  The season was definitely spoiled for me.

One particular day I was working, and they needed me on a register because of the crowds.  In the line was a woman with her young son...maybe about 4 or 5 years old.  He was being a little terror.  He was running around, swinging on the dividers between the registers, whining about wanting this or that, yelling...you get the idea.  Finally, the mother turned to him and said, in an overly-sweet, overly reasoning tone, "If you don't behave, Santa won't bring you anything for Christmas."

The little boy looked up at his mother, put his hands on his hips, and said, "I don't care; I know I'm getting stuff from Grandma and Grandpa anyway!"

That evening I went home and wrote this poem.

(It just occurred to me that the little boy would be about 33 years old now; I wonder how he turned out?)

Anyway, here it is...Merry Christmas!

Christmas Anxiety

"What does Christmas mean to you?"
I asked the little child
I waited as I looked at him
My mind was running wild
-

I knew that most kids thought about
Santa for one thing
And all the toys and goodies
And other things he's bring
-

Toys and gifts and candy
Snowballs by the score
School vacations, Christmas trees
A wreath on every door
-

Lots of visiting relatives
Dressed in Sunday best
Kissing aunts and cousins
Uncomfortable at best
-

I anticipated this
Until I heard him say
"The little Baby Jesus
Was born on Christmas Day"
-

I hugged the child closely
My eyes were filled with tears
For Christmas is remembered
Even after all these years

(c) "Amalthea Celebras"  K.C. Fahel  12 December 1983