A Christmas Eve Visitor

On Christmas Eve I fell asleep on the couch Before going up to my bed In front of the fire place I snored Without going up the stairs instead Late at night I heard a noise And thought it must be a thief I sat up quickly and yelled, “Who’s there?” But it didn’t startle him in the least A jolly old man, decked out in red With a beard as white as the snow Simply turned to me and shook his head Saying, “If you like, well, I could just go.” I stared at him in disbelief Having given up on that fantasy I pinched myself thinking it must be a dream He said, “Joe, it really is me” “Every year adults overlook That one gift that neither of them bought Assuming that it must be from the other one And, therefore I never get caught” “Just because you’re told, when you grow up That I am an imaginary story Doesn’t mean that I don’t really exist In the heart of every girl and every boy” “Now you just lay down and go back to sleep So I don’t leave you a lump of coal Enjoy Christmas morning with your wife and son And keep it a secret what you were just told” Spencer woke me up at the break of dawn Excited that Santa Claus had come I recognized the handwriting on every gift Except for the final one My wife looked at me with a knowing smile Thinking this must be a special gift just from me But I was the wiser one of us now Knowing who put it under the tree