Highlights of my Day... Sunday, December 24

For your amusement, here's my rendition of The Night before Christmas

-- by Amy Berezowski

‘Twas the night before Christmas, yet all through my place,
No sense of the season; no sight, sound, nor taste.
No stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
Cause a, there’s no chimney, and b, I don’t care;
(And c, I’m too old to believe that St. Nick will be here).
Instead I was tossing and turning up in my bed,
With a nightmare of my cousin that played in my head;
With mama in Canada, and me over here,
I prayed that Christmas would forget me this year.

When out in the hall there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the door I flew like a flash,
Threw on some make-up and put on a sash.
Had Christmas arrived? But where’s the snow?
And what’s with this weather, it’s not even below!
Then what to my wondering eyes should I see,
But my dear friend Kim Tae standing before me.
With a bucket of ice cream and a present he had picked
I thought for a moment, “He’s the Korean St. Nick!”

More rapid than eagles from Asan he had came,
And he whistled, and giggled, and called out my name;
“Now, Amy! Babo! What’s this I hear?
You don’t want to celebrate Christmas this year?
What a terrible discovery; what a terrible claim;
You should know better than to curse Christmas’ name!

“But”, I cried out, “Christmas this year, it just can’t be,
With no dad, no mom, no Troy or Robbie.
And what about Ryan, he’s way out in Seoul,
I’m here broken hearted and that’s taken it’s toll!
How can I be happy, how can I have cheer?
When they’re over there and I’m alone here!
So you see Mr. Korean St. Nick, as much as you try,
I don’t want Christmas”, and with that I did cry.

“Now Amy, dear Amy. Don’t cry, can’t you see,
That Christmas is here so please celebrate with me;
Don’t think of the bad things, just think of the good,
Cause that’s what your father always said you should.
So dry up your tears and put on your best smile,
Put on that smile that stretches a mile!

And so there we stood alone in my place,
And I knew in my heart that it was by God’s grace;
That I would have a friend so patient, a friend so dear,
A friend that would love me, and hold me so near.
Close to his heart and always in his mind,
A friend like that is definitely one of a kind.

“Let’s make the most of it” said Kim Tae with cheer,
And so we headed to a church that was quite near.
But when we walked in, all the people walked out,
“Great show this year!” I heard one guy shout.
The show had finished, there was nothing left to see,
I thought to myself, “This isn’t right, this just can’t be”.
We then went to Kimbab Nala and feasted away,
I tried to be happy but my mind did stray.
My eyes filled with tears and I knew in my heart,
This isn’t the end of Christmas, it’s only just the start;
Christmas this year would be hard, that’s true.
But with friends like Kim Tae, I can make it though.

He’s tall and he’s cute, but not at all an elf,
And I laugh when I see him, in spite of myself.
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Always reassures me I have nothing to dread;
So despite my heartache and all my tears;
Despite not being with family, like previous years,
I’ll try to enjoy Christmas, I’ll try with all my might,
So Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!