W/C 7/8

'Twas the night before Christmas,
And all through the house,
Not a creature was stirring,
But Pa had to grouse.

The presents he'd ordered,
From the Amazon store,
Were scattered around him,
'Cross the living room floor.

Pieces of puzzles, he didn't mind,
But batteries and manuals, he couldn't find,
Made fixing these toys, a tedious chore,
When, out of the silence, came a knock on the door.

He looked out the window, saw nobody there,
Just a ribbon of footsteps, climbing the stairs,
And out on the porch, to his great surprise,
Sat a box wrapped in paper, dressed like a prize.

He soon brought it in, and saw on a note,
A message obscure, that someone had wrote:
"Don’t open ’fore midnight, whatever you do,
Then you’ll learn of the job, we’ve chosen for you."

Odder and odder, he thought as he stared,
For the hands of the clock, were already there,
So he tore up the wrapping, with no further ado,
To find a red bundle, that left him confused.

Out of the bundle, came a coat and a hat,
And just for the rhyme, a pinata bat!
Trousers and boots completed the set,
He slipped them all on, and his eyes grew wet.

The suit seemed to whisper, "Your duty's begun",
You're needed tonight, 'til the first rays of sun,
Out in the garden, your carriage awaits,
To carry these gifts to homes far and wide,
To spread Christmas joy, as Santa, tonight.