Say No To Santa Poem
It's my birthday and my lovely hubby has written me a wonderful Say No To Santa poem
Say No To Santa
Twas two months before Christmas
And all round the mall
With the changing of colour
Like leaves in the fall
The presence of tinsel
Marked that time of year
When the big man in red
would soon be here
‘God damn it’ – it surely can’t already be November
I’ve only just finished repaying last December
I set a tight budget with a moderate set cost
So where all the bills came from I’m still at a loss
I felt anger rising, but I kept it bay
I shouldn’t see giving as a price to pay
This time of the year should be fun for all
Presents, tradition, the tree standing tall
Dinner at our house, fine food and good cheer
A glass of fine bubbly, an imported beer
Surrounded by family, gifts piled high
Food overflowing, spicy fruit pie
But hang on a second, all I can recall
Was hours of shopping down at the mall
Buying presents expected for a few hours of play
Discarded with last years by the end of the day
My 1 glass of bubbly, their 6 cartons of beer
5 adults, 6 children all bending my ear
Cooking and cleaning, preparing and baking
My back and my feet both equally aching
Christmas they say is a time to be jolly
With Christmas trees, mistletoe, halls decked with holly
One time of the season when we all get together
Fingers all crossed for this year’s good weather
So why do I feel a sense of unease
Like the first signs I’m getting a nasty disease
At first I ignore it, the creeping concern
That soon I’ll be spending, more than I earn
I know it’s for family, tradition and fun
But it seems to be me who gets all the work done
The shopping, the madness, the malls overflowing
The complaining, the pushing, noses all blowing
Perhaps I’m being selfish – it’s not about me
It’s the kids and the family, surely love is not free
It’s good to splurge out and give them a treat
Shower them with presents, too much to eat
It’s just once a year, I shouldn’t complain
I should just get in early, so I can stay sane
My friends say cutback, conserve, just do less
But it’s not just the shopping that’s giving me stress
It’s watching my kids consume with no care
Overly obsessed with the concept of fair
It worries me so that they just want more stuff
No matter how much, it’s never enough
This Santa deal teaches bought gifts are what matters
Even if leaving my budget in tatters
Our value as people is on how much we spend
It doesn’t seem right but I can’t see the end
For my kids there are different things I want them to know
That getting is good but it’s through giving we grow
Into adults for who the seeds have been sown
That they won’t judge their worth by the things that they own
This may not be how it all happens for you
But I’m sure there are some parts you know to be true
It all seems so natural to buy more and more
But who is in charge here, me or the store
So I’m taking a deep breath and stepping right back
I’ve decided I’m going to give Santa the sack
I’ll take out of Christmas the presents and spending
And focus on values I need to be mending
I’ll plan and commit to what I know must be done
I can lose all the presents and still make it fun
For me it is time to face up to my foe
To the fat guy called Santa, I’ll just say NO!