Notes About The Poem
12/2/2025 for Snow Fantasy or Christmas Nostalgia Poetry Contest sponsored by Constance La France
Christmas Memories
"Christmas is in our grasp so long as we have hands to clasp" from the song "Welcome Christmas" from "The Grinch Who Stole Christmas"
What is (or was) Christmas all about?
For one thing, for two weeks...school is out!
First, the countdown was to the last day of school,
next, the number of days to the actual Yule.
In the family car to see Christmas lights,
candy cane lamp posts among the sites,
then across town to see Grandpa and Grandma Hicks.
Grandma crafted many holiday knack-knicks.
But it wouldn't be Christmas without...
Candy canes, popcorn balls, everything dandy,
Grandma's toffee, SoCal's chocolate See's candy,
Cookies in the oven, I can count up to ten.
Pretty soon out will jump gingerbread men.
and how exciting it would be
when Dad brought home the Christmas tree!
which we would soon industriously adorn
with a string of cranberries and puffed popcorn.
At night when the house was cozy and dark,
we'd play Christmas songs, cut the lights for a lark,
and shadows created by the blinking lights
on the walls, would make kaleidoscopic delights.
We'd turn on the tube when prime time was near,
and watch the boy dentist and Rudolf the Reindeer,
and then Snoopy and good 'ol Charlie Brown,
and Mr. Magoo playing Scrooge with a frown.
My Grandma and Grandpa would come, Christmas Eve.
We got to stay up late, but we'd sleep 'fore they'd leave.
On Christmas morning, my parents would never wake.
We'd wait to open presents; how long would it take?
When they did, we would jump and shout -
we'd have all kinds of new games and toys,
baseballs, basketballs, footballs for four boys -
and possibly records, old seventy-eights
with cartoon pictures on their vinyl plates.
One day it would be over, and I'd be in school.
Was there a Santa? Was I played for a fool?
Was there a Christmas? Was it really real?
Yes - proved by Aunt's fruit cake in the frig, hard as steel!
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