Chased Down Santa - The Story in Poetry

Our town does a very neat thing in December every year.  They have Santa and  his helpers go around to every neighborhood to collect food for the local food pantry and visit people. The high school choir rides on the sleigh and sings carols.  It's very fun! 

The city paints stars in several spots all over town, these are the Santa stops.  Luckily, there is one just a block away and we can see it from our front window.

Each night there are two or three neighborhoods that get a Santa visit.  It takes a week or a little more to cover the entire town.  Our neighborhood's turn was last night.  As much as I was looking forward to it, the evening rolled around and I totally FORGOT!

I had the three kids in the bathtub together and Charlie was done.  Figured I better get him out and dry him off before he reached his limit. Got him out and wrapped up in a big froggy towel and then heard sirens and  I remembered.  Two kids in the tub and now I think of this?  Oh me oh my. So I took a peek out the window... no...  I know just how to tell you this story.  In the form of an iconic Christmas poem! 

Twas a couple of weeks before Christmas
When all through the house
All the kids were stirring and splashing
In the same tub upstairs in the house.

The stockings were still stuffed in a storage box in the garage,
The tree is there too, placed in the corner with care.
The house isn't ready but the children don't care,
They hope that St. Nickolas will soon be there.

Two children were soaking all snug in the tub
With the bubbles of shampoo dancing on their heads,
The baby naked in his towel and I in my jeans,
Had just just set out the pajamas for our nighttime scene.

When out on the street arose such a clatter
I sprang up over the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore down the blanket we use for a curtain
And looked out over the sash.

The streetlights and flashing police lights lit the sidewalk aglow,
Gave a mid-day luster to the crowd below.
When what to my wondering eyes should appear?
But a great big sleigh and one giant reindeer.

With a fat old driver so lively and quick
I knew in a moment it must be St Nick!
More rapid than eagles, I yanked the kids from the tub,
I whistled and shouted and called them by name.

Now, Gracie! Now, Libby! Now, Charlie-Bear!
On diapers! On pajamas! On jackets and boots!
Now to the front door and into the stroller!
Now Dash Away, dash away, dash away all!

As dry leaves on the front walk did fly,
I ran with three barely dry kids in the stroller to the end of the drive,
We looked up the street and it was quiet and dark.
The sleigh was gone, and Santa Claus too.

And then in a twinkling, I heard on the next street,
The sirens and honking of Santa's caravan.
I buckled in the little ones and told Gracie, "Let's run!"
Down the street and around the corner we raced with a bounce.

He was dressed all in red fur from his head to his foot,
With a white beard, white gloves and black boots.
A collection of canned food was flung on the lead truck.
Santa waved goodbye to the crowd and they drove on to the next star.

With big sad eyes, Gracie yelled, "Mom, we missed him!"
So we ran down the street following his lights.
Her belly started to ache, the running was too much
Four year old feet were tired and such.

With no time to spare in our journey in the night,
I gave her the front seat of the stroller,
pushing while carrying Libby with all of my might.
Running down two more streets to catch up to the elf.

Half a mile from our home I ran with three kids,
But I caught up to that fast old man and his friends.
I was out of breath and sweating like mad,
but the kids were delighted to be part of the crowd!

His eyes how they twinkled! His dimples were merry!
His cheeks were like roses! His nose like a cherry!
His beard was falling off, so he reached under his hat
and tightened the bow.

Child after child he held on his lap,
Libby told me she wanted to be a part of that!
Gracie said she would ask him for Rapunzel and Flynn,
Libby chimed in with requests for Santa to bring Chocolate.

Santa wasn't chubby but he was stuffed plump,
And I laughed when I saw him in spite of myself.
He welcomed Gracie to his lap and reached for Libby as well.
She changed her mind about the jolly old elf!

She kicked and she screamed, the tears rolled down.
Promises of chocolate for Christmas didn't provide any slack.
The two year old wasn't talking to the old elf wearing a red hat.
I told Santa, "Hold her tight, I'll be right back".

Santa looked frightened, Libby looked worse.
Gracie was concerned, worried about the worst.
I stepped back a couple of paces with camera in hand
And snapped some photos of my cuties with the old man.

Charlie was relaxing in the stroller by himself.
He loved looking at the lights with his big eyes and happy grin
I wondered if he wanted to sit on Santa's lap.
Decided not to traumatize the babe and just leave him alone.

Santa spoke a few words to his big elf and reindeer,
They loaded the trucks for the food pantry and
 I packed all three children in the stroller for the long walk home,
 Libby exclaimed "That was FUN! We saw Santa in the Street!"

 He sprang to his sleigh and to his team gave a whistle,
The choir, elf, deer and helpers hopped aboard for the ride.
But I heard him exclaim as he drove out of sight,
"Merry Christmas to all, and to all a Good Night!"