Domestic Geek

Can't remember where I originally found this, but I had to share:



'Twas the night before Christmas, and oh, I was weary.
My stitching unfinished, my eyes getting bleary.
The stockings weren't finished, the chimney was bare
And I knew that morning soon would be here.

My children and husband were tucked in their beds,
But visions of backstitches ran through my head.
I'd stitched ornaments and presents and gifts by the ton,
And now, I was finally, almost, almost done.

As I poised my needle for one more stitch,
I heard something outside that made my hand twitch.
I jumped up from my stitching and flew to the door
Pressed my eye to the peephole, tiptoe off the floor.

My stitching forgotten, I peered into the night
When suddenly I got a terrible fright.
On my porch appeared Santa, holding his sack
He knocked softly, and I took a giant step back.

I unlocked the deadbolt, and let Santa in
He entered and gave a mischievous grin.
"Hope you don't mind if I come in the door?
Coming down the chimney can be quite a chore."

He said, "You're up late. Still working, I see.
Do you know how tired you're going to be?"
I know, Santa, I said with a sigh
But I'm still backstitching the stars in the sky

And the fields on that stocking look blobby you know,
I need to backstitch the drifts in the snow.
I've been stitching and stitching and stitching, no rest.
I just tried to finish stitching too much, I guess.

"I know what you mean," he said with a smile.
"This is my busiest time of the year, by a mile."
He stooped down by the tree and he opened his sack
And began to pull presents out of his pack.

"I've got some things here I think you might like.
An oak stitching frame and a brand new Ott-Light.
A bundle of floss and a great big mat cutter."
I smiled and felt my heart go a- flutter.

He put down gifts for us all, then waved his right hand
"Go to bed," he said, glancing at my floor stand.
He gave me a wink and stepped out the door.
I just stood there a moment, glued to the floor.

After he'd left, I turned back to my chair
Picked up the stockings and started to stare.
The backstitching was done! The stars lit the sky!
And on my son's stocking, angels sung on high!

I ran to thank Santa for this final gift,
And watched as his sleigh started to lift.
I heard him exclaim as he pulled out of sight,
"Merry Stitching to All, and to all a good night!"

~Author Unknown

I'm so sick of Christmas already. I hate to say that, because I really do love the holiday season, but with stores already decked out in trees and wreaths before Halloween was even here was ridiculous. People have their lights up and on. Even my neighbors put out their decorations today while I was at work - a whole yard full of tacky plastic statues. The commercials are in full swing on the television. The hotel we stayed at in Hill City the last week of October had all of their decorations up. I'm seeing Christmas movies in the programming guide. ENOUGH ALREADY!

What used to make the season magical was its brevity. It started Thanksgiving morning when Santa arrived in the Macy's parade, then you had the full onslaught for a solid month. Christmas carols didn't get old because you only heard them for 4 weeks, not almost 3 months. Now, by the time Christmas morning actually arrives, you've had such an overload that you're over it before it begins. I'm not the only one who believes we shouldn't start the celebrating early - I found an article titled "Just Say No to Early Christmas" while surfing the topic.

I wonder if any studies have been done about the effects of too much Christmas on actual holiday sales. I know I'm less inclined to spend money in stores that are pushing Christmas already. I want to see Fall things - turkeys, leaves, pumpkins, scarecrows...not snowmen, Santas and angels.