Family Christmas

Pumpkins on the porch soon turn into mush

We procrastinated on Christmas shopping

so there was always a last minute rush.

🎀🎀🎀

Some people wrap present all throughout

the year but my family would resort to gift cards

if Christmas got too near.

🎀🎀🎀

We didn't know each other's sizes even after

all these years. Dad could always depend on

an ugly tie from our mother dear.

🎀🎀🎀

It didn't snow in the southern bible belt,

hot was all it felt, so we'd crank up the

A/C and walk around wrapped in quilts.

🎀🎀🎀

When Christmas morning came we'd watch

cartoons and reruns of Captain Kangeroo

until our parents woke up, those sleepy

heads, and told us what to do.

🎀🎀🎀

Then we'd watch Saturday Night Live's

Christmas show and make ourselves some

Smores, we didn't decorate the yard but

had a wreath on the door.

🎀🎀🎀

But then there were the times like on

Christmas eve when we'd open one present

each, my mother would tell us "this ones

from God", but she never preached.

🎀🎀🎀

After our parents died, we got together still.

Although we didn't quite know what to say or do

but we always said one thing we meant which

was "I love you."