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Annual verse attempts seasonal rhyming

Joyce Walter writes about the Christmas season
ReflectiveMoments_JoyceWalter
Reflective Moments by Joyce Walter

There’s a few days to go before Christmas morning dawns
and we’re wondering if our guests prefer scallops or prawns.

Some old decorations have been found stored in a box
but Santa’s belly is squashed and he’s lost some of his locks.

Still he sits proudly there on a table and soon won’t be alone
as he’s joined by one of the Nativity scenes that this household owns.

Last year’s wreath has weathered the summer-time rays of the sun
and is already on the door, to greet visitors who come by for fun.

A niece and nephew are cooking this year to lessen the load,
so a sauce and some pudding is all we will take on the road.

There’s sure to be turkey and gravy and don’t forget the dressing
and cranberry sauce, and a piece of pie would be an extra blessing.

Christmas baking treats are filling the freezers here and away,
done by friends and left over from our 50th anniversary day.

We have cookies and slices and pies, plus raisins in the butter tarts,
with apologies to a niece whose dislike of dried grapes we haven’t taken to heart.

Housemate has been plotting and shopping and hiding things away
but he won’t tell me what, just smiles and says, “wait for the day.”

Greeting cards are hung up so we know year-long from where they came
but we’ll wonder for months about the one that was sent without even a name.

The message talked about darts and cousins and wished us a healthy new year
so now we ponder and ponder again about who might have mailed it to us here.

Decorative Christmas lights and displays brighten the streets all around the city
but still we have none at our house, now isn’t that a shame and a pity.

But even without lights to lead the way, we are thankful for good fortune,
for family, long-time friends, colleagues and sincere wishes that are spoken. 

So in conclusion, Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays to friends old and new.
May your new year be healthy, happy, and your troubles, if any, be only a few.

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

There is much for which to be thankful this Christmas season and we realize we need to count our blessings not only now but throughout the year.

Moose Jaw has once again come forward with love and friendship as citizens support a wide variety of charities and agencies whose mandate is to assist the less fortunate among us. Food drives, toy and clothing collections, hamper distribution and simple acts of kindness at the drive-through windows signal a community with heart and a social conscience.

But this generosity isn’t a seasonal attitude — it exists all year long when a need is established. Thus it has been for as long as most of us can remember and hopefully, with attention to historical documentation, this brand of love thy neighbour and stranger will continue.

From our home to the homes of readers everywhere, Merry Christmas.

Joyce Walter can be reached at ronjoy@sasktel.net

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the position of this publication.  

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