Another Austerity Christmas

He'll leave the baubles in the loft this year; he so dislikes those sparkly plastic trees, and real ones these days are far too dear. The cost of heating home has put a squeeze on almost everything that's fun, I fear. He'll send some greetings texts, no Christmas card; now that he's seen the cost of postage stamps, using the pub's free wifi in their yard. A happy holiday to all, love gramps! He's worked his life; it shouldn't be this hard. He'll walk to do his Christmas shop through snow; not at the store but at the free food bank; the bailiff took his car some months ago; rising interest, he has that to thank! A very Merry Christmas Ho Ho Ho! He'll watch a little telly on the day; a slice of bread, cold chicken soup from can, to keep the dreaded hunger pangs at bay; this hero veteran, this old guardsman. And in the cold, alone, he'll fade away.