Got home from work about 11:30. The kids were waiting so we opened presents at midnight.
Merry Christmas to all!

Dad's Night Before Christmas
by Don Mason 12-24-95

'Twas the night before Christmas and all through the pad,
Everybody was sleeping except for old Dad.
Max was snoozing in big brother's bed, with visions of supper still fresh in his head.
Donny zonked out in a bag on the floor, dreaming that Santa would come to the door.
Mom went to bed, 'though worrying yet, that all the kid's wishes would somehow be met.
The presents were all by the tree in a pile, and old Santa Claus would be here in a while.
Max left him some milk and some cookies to bite,
In case he was hungry from his long Christmas flight.

Dad sat in the office, with his IBM,
Deep in his thoughts, which was hard work for him.
It was one in the morning and all through the house,
The only sound heard was the click of the mouse.
When all of a sudden a strange thing occurred,
Dad was surprised by a sound that he heard.
Was it just Uncle Scott, home late from his hunt,
That made an almost imperceptible grunt?
Or was it the jolly old elf come to call,
Bringing Christmas gifts and joy to us all?
Dad stopped his computing and sat very quiet,
Straining to hear with all of his might.
Was that a faint footstep he heard in the hall?
Or did he just imagine it all.
He slipped like a mouse to the office room door,
And just slid it open two inches, no more.
He still could not see what was making him start,
Was it hoofbeats above or the thump of his heart?
He stood very still with his ear to the door,
In hope he'd be able to somehow hear more.

And then in the night, he heard a gruff voice
Say "This is a tough one, I must make a choice!
The kids in this house are basically good,
But they don't always behave as well as they could.
Are their good intentions enough to get by?
Or should I take to account all the times that they cry.
Do the times that they act right make up for the way,
That they sometimes don't listen to what their folks say?"

Dad listened intently to the words that were said,
Was it Santa that spoke them, or was it all in his head?
Then it suddenly hit him like a truck in the night.
That nothing's all wrong and no one's all right.
All we can be is the best we can do,
And how far you go is all up to you.
Your parents will not always be there to guide you,
You'll have to get by on what's deep inside you.
And Christmas is not about gifts that we get,
It's the love of our family we'll never forget.
Dad made his decision as we all knew he would,
'Cause giving kids presents makes daddies feel good.

Was Santa Claus here in our house last night?
I believe that he was and to prove that I'm right,
You can run to the tree Christmas morning and see,
The kids are both smiling as wide as can be.
If that's not enough proof, there is one thing more--
Are those cookie crumbs there on the living room floor?

DonM