Wednesday 24 December 2014

Twas the Night Before Christmas

'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;
The children were nestled all snug in their beds;
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;
And mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled our brains for a long winter's nap...

The opening lines from one of my favourite poems of all time, 'Twas the Night Before Christmas, by Clement Clarke Moore. It was first published in 1823, and it remains a much cherished composition almost 200 years later.

I will be reading this poem to my daughter this evening, as I tuck her up in bed, all excited and with not a hint of sleepiness in her eyes.


Christmas is a special time of year for us all, and children especially. Those of us with kids will no doubt be awoken by them at the crack of dawn tomorrow, their level of excitement even greater perhaps than it will be this evening.  But we should all spare a thought for others less fortunate than ourselves at Christmas.

As I walked home from last minute present shopping just now, I spotted a homeless man sitting cross legged on the pavement outside a parade of shops. Set before him was a metal tin, with a simple Father Christmas figurine sat on top which I presume he had crafted himself. The tin was left open and it contained some coins, given to him by people passing. 

As I stopped by to drop £1 from my purse in his tin, I found it a sobering reminder of how lucky I am to be spending Christmas with family and close friends, rather than outside in the cold all alone. I hope you all have a happy and peaceful Christmas this year, surrounded by your loved ones too.

As I sign-off for a short break, I want to say a big thank you to everyone who has visited my blog in 2014, and taken the time to read my posts and leave a comment or two. I genuinely appreciate all the support.

See you in 2015!

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