The Twelve Days Of Christmas
By: The Midnight Ennead
I don’t know how my parents did it. We were a fairly poor family so Christmas presents were usually clothes or necessities. Maybe a few toys (nothing extravagant), stockings were nuts and fruits, maybe some trail mix. Some how Christmas was always magical. I remember waking up early and getting my sisters to help me “explore” the house Christmas morning. We knew not to open presents until everyone else was up so we just sat on the couch, maybe make pancakes. It was always like walking into a dream world. The living room deked out in lights and the tree full of exciting new things waiting for us. I remember there was always this hushed quality in the air. Something I have never been able to recreate for my family.
Building up to Christmas we baked and caroled and wrapped. And we did The 12 days of Christmas. I think when I look back this is what stands out the most. This is what Christmas was about.
We called ourselves the Midnight Ennead because we usually came around midnight and we were a family of nine. We would show up, ring the bell, and leave a poem with a gift. We started on the thirteenth of December and went each night until Christmas eve. Gifts were almost always homemade and the family we visited almost always needing some Christmas cheer. What we gave every year changed. The ribbon stars were a staple as was the cookie Christmas tree. One year we carved soap to look like holiday things. Purchased items changed based on what we could afford that year. We all took turns setting it on the door step and running away. The time we showed up was based on how old the child was and when they needed to be asleep so we were never caught, except once. An over cautious family had called the cops on us and they were waiting for us the next evening. That year we just gave them everything at once and let them know who we were so they could still enjoy the gifts we made.
I hope you enjoy this look at one of our twelve days of Christmas.
On the first day of Christmas
It’s fun to have something sweet
So here is a Christmas tree
That all of you can eat
On the second day of Christmas
We’d like to give to you
Some candy canes filled with love
And Christmas Chocolates too
On the third day of Christmas
The snows been falling down
And pretty little snowflakes lay upon the ground
Since we all love snow we are sending these three
Homemade paper snowflakes to decorate your tree
On the forth day of Christmas
Here’s something good and sweet
Four delicious tangerines
For the bunch of you to eat
On the fifth day of Christmas
Our poet is asleep
Still five homemade stars we send
For we know the day won’t keep
On the sixth day of Christmas
We’d like to spread some light
So here are six candles
To brighten up your night
On the seventh day of Christmas
We’ve decided to send
Seven rolls of pennies
For all of you to spend
On the eighth day of Christmas
We’d like to worm you up
So here is some hot coco
For you to fill your cup
On the ninth day of Christmas
We are sending these nine cones
Just to start your fire
Or to decorate your home
On the tenth day of Christmas
Holiday money is your treat
But not this time to spend
Because this money you can eat
On the eleventh day of Christmas
We’ve decided to give to you
Eleven bags of candy
With nuts in them too
On the twelfth day of Christmas
We hope you have enjoyed our treats
And that you’ve enjoyed this Christmas season
With all its goodies and sweats
But here on this last Christmas day
As we drop by we want to say
Enjoy the candy canes and
We love you in a special way
Liz B. Real Estate 