Liz B. Real Estate

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