The Night before Christmas revised

[norty1]

'Twas the night before Christmas & out on the ranch
The pond was froze over and so was the branch.
The snow was piled up belly - deep to a mule.
The kids were all home on vacation from school,
And happier young folks you never did see
Just all sprawled around a-watchin' TV.

Then suddenly, some time around 8 o'clock,
There came a surprise that gave them a shock!
The power went off, the TV went dead!
When Grandpa came in from out in the shed
With an armload of wood, the house was all dark.

"Just what I expected," they heard him remark.
"Them power line wires must be down from the snow.
Seems sorter like times on the ranch long ago."
"I'll hunt up some candles," said Mom. "With their light,
And the fireplace, I reckon we'll make out all right."
The teen-agers all seemed enveloped in gloom.

Then Grandpa came back from a trip to his room,
Uncased his old fiddle & started to play
That old Christmas song about bells on a sleigh.
Mom started to sing, & first thing they knew
Both Pop & the kids were all singing it, too.
They sang Christmas carols, they sang "Holy Night,"
Their eyes all a-shine in the ruddy firelight.
They played some charades Mom recalled from her youth,
And Pop read a passage from God's Book of Truth.
They stayed up till midnight-and, would you believe,
The youngsters agreed 'twas a fine Christmas Eve.

Grandpa rose early, some time before dawn;
And when the kids wakened, the power was on.
"The power company sure got the line repaired quick,"
Said Grandpa - & no one suspected his trick.
Last night, for the sake of some old-fashioned fun,
He had pulled the main switch - the old Son-of-a-Gun!

[SecretCoveDave]

Thanks, did same thing after the power at the cabin went out for real and the kids said is was fun! Few days later it went out again, strange but was still fun.

Again, thank you for the memories.

[bdreinv]

Thanks for that reminds me of the good ole days of the early 60s!

[dzwiss]

Ya gotta keep an eye on those foxy old grandpas.

[Witt74]

Don't ya just love it when a plan comes together?

[RedHorse1]

Norty, an excellent tale! Thank you.
And a Merry Christmas to all....

[norty1]

I take no credit, just copied from social media.

[Sundancer330]

I enjoy this version that was posted by a CM that works at Disney's Fort Wilderness.


TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS AT "THE FORT":
.
Twas the night before Christmas, when all through our RV,
Not one person was stirring, and not even, ole me.
The stockings were hung ‘cross the slide-out with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas, can find us, out here.
.
The children were nestled, all snug in bunk beds,
While visions of sugar plums, now danced in their heads.
And we in our warmest, for the heater did snap,
Had just settled down for a long winter’s nap.
.
When out in The Fort, there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bunk to see what's the matter.
Down the ladder, to the window I flew, like a flash,
Tore open the blinds and rubbed frost off the glass.
.
The moon light shining on the new fallen snow,
Gave the appearance of midday to the pedestals below.
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But, a miniature fifth-wheel, and eight tiny reindeer.
.
No one wakes in our camper, without causing a stir,
No matter how silent, and nimble they were.
So my family came running and joined me right now,
To watch the occurrence, from RV's stern to its bow.
.
We saw the old driver, so lively and quick,
We all knew in a moment, it must be St. Nick.
Faster than pickups, his reindeer 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.
On vinyl of roof, and fiberglass wall,
Now dash away, dash away, dash away all!
.
Like an awning before the wild hurricanes fly,
When met with an great force, and rips unto sky.
So up to the top of the camper, the coursers they flew,
With heavy of fifth-wheel, and St. Nicholas, too.
.
Then, with a loud creak up above, I heard on the roof,
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
The way that they sound, they will rip it to shreds!
Said Dad as his eye balls popped out of his head.
.
As we looked away from the window and were turning around,
Down the way too small air vent, came Nick with a bound.
We gasped at the sight, disbelieving what's here,
With a wink of his eye, we had nothing to fear.
.
Dressed in all fur, from his head to his foot,
His clothes were all tarnished, with ashes and soot.
A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,
Dad winced at our site, for we had no room to pack.
.
To our stockings he went, counting eight in the hall,
Hung up with care, on the slide-out's long wall.
In the glow of our tree did we watch with delight,
As he continued his work in our camper that night.
.
He gave what we wished, 'cause he always just knew,
The wants of our hearts, without needing a clue.
Then laying his finger, on the side of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the air vent, he rose.
.
He sprang to his fifthwheel, to his team he did shout,
And away they all flew with that awning ripped out.
But, I heard him exclaim, as he drove out of sight,
Merry Christmas MY FORT, all and to all a good-night!

[dewey02]

I think this version of T'was the night AFTER Christmas is the one I like best, perhaps because I can best relate to it!

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