Christmas Is Creeping In

Christmas is creeping in. I’ve seen my first quality street tin. The John Lewis advert is out And the motorised reindeers about. Shop windows glitter and glow, Ladbrookes give odds on the snow, The eyes of the new generation Are fixed on the latest PlayStation Mariah Carey is on every show That pumps out from the radio. Signs on the roundabouts point To the nearest Christmas tree joint. Loft ladders are let down once more To retrieve the decs from their store Dads swear in temper and stress “How could the lights get in this mess ? “ Will there be any turkeys left Or will the table look bereft ? Must dig out the walnut cracker And get my nails booked for a lacquer . Christmas films on every channel Full of righteous, festive, flannel In which life’s drama and life’s dread Is all made right with gingerbread. Cinnamon taints everything Oh Hark - the herald angels sing But there’s little Christmas love or grace When you cannot find a parking space. Supermarkets fill their shelves With stollen cakes and chocolate elves, And blokes buy beer to stow away That’s mostly drunk by Christmas Day. While some begin to deck the halls And others feast on cheese footballs Some just sit and contemplate How did we all get in this state ? The days just disappear As the Yuletide feast gets near. The shopping list keeps growing And there’s endless to and froing Time to pour that glass of Sherry Time to consult Mary Berry To make the perfect Christmas pud The way that only Mary could. The pogues ring out on Christmas Eve Shoppers bustle, wind and weave Through busy crowds they dodge and shift To find that perfect Christmas gift. Carollers by the corn exchange Suddenly come into range Familiar carols tug the heart With words that speak of a new start Will Noddy Holder save the day ? Will we escape this Yule affray ? But don’t give up, if all else fails You’ve got the January sales. © Mike Miller