<\/strong><\/p>\n\u2018Twas was the night before Christmas,<\/p>\n
And the house was a dump.<\/p>\n
The kids were feeling Christmassy,<\/p>\n
But I was a grump.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
The laundry piled up, the table was crummy<\/p>\n
No gifts had been wrapped, nothing made that was yummy.<\/p>\n
The children were nestled all snug in their beds,<\/p>\n
While visions of a happy mama danced in their heads.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
But I was working so hard to make them a Christmas,<\/p>\n
I didn\u2019t have time for all this merriment business.<\/p>\n
For only that morning I had heard such a ruckus<\/p>\n
I jumped out of my chair to see what the sound was.<\/p>\n
Away down the stairs I flew in a fright<\/p>\n
And saw there below me a most disturbing sight.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
The lamp on the table that stood by the couch<\/p>\n
Illuminated a scene that turned me a grouch.<\/p>\n
Why what to my wondering eyes should I see?<\/p>\n
But all six of my kids in a grand reverie.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Boxes and papers and tissue galore,<\/p>\n
Scissors and glue and glitter on the floor.<\/p>\n
Without stopping to ask why,<\/p>\n
Or find out the reason,<\/p>\n
I flew into a fit, regardless of season.<\/p>\n
I snapped and I sent them all to their rooms,<\/p>\n
Filling their hearts with holiday doom.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
How Grinchlike I felt, how ugly, how Scroogey,<\/p>\n
To ruin their fun by being so moody.<\/p>\n
I went back to my room where I huffed and I sat,<\/p>\n
All that big mess and I still had to wrap!<\/p>\n
What were they thinking, those children o\u2019mine,<\/p>\n
That I had nothing to do but clean all the time?<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
The next day dawned\u2014cold, but real sunny,<\/p>\n
It was Christmas and\u2013you know what is funny?<\/p>\n
We were sitting by the fire, unwrapping our gifts,<\/p>\n
When my little girl said, with a bit of a lisp,<\/p>\n
\u201cThis one\u2019s for Mommy\u201d and in her sweet hand,<\/p>\n
Was the gift she had made me, the day I\u2019d been mad.<\/p>\n
\u2018I love you\u2019 it said in a childish print,<\/p>\n
Surrounded by hearts with a glittery tint.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Just like that I saw them, these children of mine,<\/p>\n
Who made the house dirty most all of the time.<\/p>\n
The messes, the laundry, the cooking, the clutter,<\/p>\n
Suddenly seemed nothing;\u00a0 my heart softened like butter.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
I sat there that morning, surrounded by mess,<\/p>\n
And witnessed with wonder their gift-giving fest.<\/p>\n
It hit me, it did, in the moments that followed,<\/p>\n
That \u2018resentment\u2019 was a bitter pill for any mother to swallow.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
So I scooped them all up, both babies and teens,<\/p>\n
And kissed them and hugged them with all of my means.<\/p>\n
What mattered not just this day, but all of the rest,<\/p>\n
Were the children God gave me\u2014who cares \u2019bout the mess?<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
As I pondered these things, that sweet Christmas day,<\/p>\n
I swear I could almost hear St. Nicholas say:<\/p>\n
\u2018Happy Christmas to all, and to all, no more fights<\/em>!\u2019<\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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