It was the night before the night before,
Around the house there was movement a plenty
For the year had drawn to a tired old end
We sat back and reflected, fine wine in our hand.
The children had long gone off to bed
Promises and threats of Christmas flavour
Well-behaved children were granted favour
Naughty children ignored and forgotten.
Christmas fear and Christmas cheer
Hand in hand they walk in the night.
We toasted the year, glad to see the end
This moment of quiet before the mornings din.
The night before and all is a rush
Gifts to find and bags to be filled
Santa’s great joke a bike in a box
Put together, two orphan screws on the floor.
In bed we go over the next days plan
An early start, children in our bed,
So much joy to look forward to.
We kiss and cuddle and say good night.
Written for: http://dversepoets.com/2014/12/20/open-link-night-december-2014/
Morpethroad 
Very lovely x
Happy Christmas
Thanks Justine. I hope your Christmas is exciting and all you wish for.
Yes you too! Thank you x
Ha, I can see that gift might be a painful one. Yet Christmas is such a great time to start anew.
Thanks Bjorn, I hope you have a safe and happy Christmas.
oha – left over screws always make me feel a bit uneasy…who knows what would’ve been their job to hold together…wishing you a blessed christmas time..
Thank you Claudia, the left over screws is an issue you raise later on Christmas Day with a relative you know knows a lot about screws and where they should go. My best wishes to you at this time, have a good one.
What a cuddly joyous family moment – ah, the anticipation! Hope it lives up to it – have a very merry Christmas!
Thank Marina, I hope yours is all you wish for. Merry Christmas.
What a beautifully peaceful vision of Christmas, Michael. I like the idea of going to bed with the anticipation of the next day’s joy! Merry Christmas to you.
Thank you so much Mary, my best wishes to you also.
Great and realistic Christmas atmosphere in your poem! Sharing the joy is not always without pain. I am not a fan of anything that needs assembling. Happy Christmas, Michael!
Thank you Gabriella, my best wishes to you. Thankfully the days of me assembling are well over.
So much joy to look forward to ~ Enjoyed this one Michael ~ Wishing you Merry Christmas and joyful new year ~
Thank you Grace, my best wishes to you and your family.
That was wonderful, Michael, and oh how it brought back thoughts of Christmas past. The Christmas I received my bike is etched in my memory (I was ten). It’s as clear as if it were yesterday. If I close my eyes, I can still see it leaning against the old wooden china cabinet – one of those really old brown ones with the little door on the left hand side where you kept the bread. The bike was blue and silver and oh so shiny – a Speedwell – I can still hear my voice rising to a squeak as I shook my Aunt awake (4:00am) and said, “I gotta bike, I gotta bike.”
4am??? Wow you were keen, then again t aged 10 who wasn’t?
My first bike was a second hand one with a back pedal brake. Very exciting the year I found it beside the tree. Thanks so much glad I can give you such wonderful memories.
yep, mine was a back pedal brake too.
Two orphan screws and a bicycle with two holes unfilled but when the spirit is bright Christmas can fill the wholes of any bike and heart to full deLIGHT!..:)
Ahh the joys, the excitement. Screws loose or left over a tad disconcerting. Like when pop bought my BBQ and assembled it, 2 bolts were left over, when questioned Pop just said, no it will be alright, shaking it..it still is holding some years later.