'Twas the Night Before Christmas

'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through our home

not a creature was stirring, not even a gnome; 

The stockings were hung by the staircase with care, 

in hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there; 

And Paul and Melissa were all snug in their bed; 

Yet Abigail (down the hall) could find no rest for her head; 

She knew Quinn and Emily would be sleeping next door,

and Laura in her home, would be all a-snore.

Yet she could not sleep, there was something amiss,

so she got out of her bed, her fears to dismiss. 

When out in the yard there arose such a clatter, 

She sprang to the window to see what was the matter. 

The moon and the stars shown bright on new snow,

the faint rays of morning would soon be aglow.

Yet what was that she spied by the bare flower bed?

Could it be that this vision was all in her head?

For what to her beautiful blue eyes did appear

but a big, bright red sleigh and eight reindeer!

And there standing tall in the white snow so thick,

was someone Abby knew well, it was jolly Saint Nic!

But he didn’t look jolly, oh no he did not,

and his reindeer weren’t happy, they were rather distraught.

So throwing on slippers and grabbing a shawl,

Abby snuck out of her room and tiptoed down the hall.

And reaching the backdoor she opened it wide,

and stood on the edge of the porch there outside.

And low and behold she heard Saint Nic say:

“But it was only one bear, come out Christmas day.

He wouldn’t harm you, not on business like yours."

But the reindeer weren’t happy, they sat down on all fours.

And Abby said quietly, giving Saint Nic a shock,

“But it’s almost Christmas, it’s now five o’clock!

Please reindeer you must hurry, there’s no time to waste!”

Meanwhile Saint Nic had started to pace.

“My dear Abigail, they got a fright and a scare!

While flying over Juneau they spotted a bear."

And then Abby answered with a knowing nod,

“Yes bears can be scary, they are hairy...and clawed.

But a bear-bell will help them know you are there,

and they’ll know that you’ve got business that demands the most care."

And with that she ran again to the door,

and off she went searching for bear-bells galore!

Once she was finished she ran back through the snow,

and she tied bear-bells to the reindeer so that they would know

that bears everywhere would hear them fly by,

and they would look up and see Saint Nick in the sky.

Those bears would think of the gifts in the sleigh 

and they would know not to bother the reindeer that day.

Saint Nic thanked Abigail from the bottom of his heart,

and then he was off with a push and a start.

And as Abby stood there in the yard as he went out of sight,

he called “Merry Christmas to you, and to you a goodnight!”

And with that she sleepily went back up to her bed,

with visions of reindeer prancing through her blonde head.

And as she fell asleep came the first rays of light...

Christmas had come, thanks to Abby’s strange night.

~The End~
Written by Emily