Tag Archives: Twaas the night before Christmas

‘Twas the night before Christmas
and all through the house
Not a creature was stirring,
Not even a mouse.
They were slumped in the lounge, all watching tv
Some crazy show claiming to be “Reality”
Then a child sneaked a present from under the tree
She ripped off the wrapping with undisguised glee.
Her face fell and she sucked in her breath with a hiss,
She turned to her parents and said “What is THIS?”
They turned from the TV as one just to look:
She held out towards them a beautiful book.
“It’s a book.” said her Dad, “Who on Earth gave you that?”
“I thought Santa would bring you a scarf and a hat…”
“It says it’s from Granny.” said the girl with a frown.
“She always gives presents that let people down.
But what does it DO? Does it play tunes or shows?
I can’t even see where the power lead goes.
There isn’t a screen or some buttons to press.
I can’t think of anything I wanted less.”
Her mother was smiling, her thoughts in a whirl.
“It’s the same book that I had when I was a girl!”
She took the book with trembling hand
And stroked the title “Storyland”
She flipped the pages, smiling wide,
Rediscovered the pictures bright , inside.
“Dad,” she said, not turning round,
“Would you turn off the tv sound?”
When silence fell, but for clock’s chime
She smiled and started “Once upon a time…”
While the TV showed silent, unwatched car chases
They travelled together to distant places.
They escaped the press of the digital age
And lost themselves in words on a page.
And though the book took them far, far away,
They were all home in bed before Christmas Day.
Technology’s great, though it moves on so fast
And tablets and iPods don’t seem built to last.
But consider this Christmas the books that you’ve read
Till the pages were tattered and the words in your head
So familiar to you, you need barely look.
Then give someone you love the gift of a book.