Anticipation’s over
This happens (as a rule)
We’ve burned the midnight oil
And consumed another Yule
We’ve laid the banquet table
We’ve turkey-ed and we’ve pheasant-ed
We’ve made our wish lists subtly known
We’ve shopped and wrapped and presented
Perhaps it has occurred to you
Because to me it did
I’m one year further from the sense
Of Christmas as a kid
Walking down to Woolworths
And talking with my boys
About the latest catalogues
Of sporting goods and toys
Going to see Santa
Lining up with dozens
And later going there along
With all my younger cousins
The smell of grandma’s cookies
The zing of winter weather
The noise I heard when Santa
Put my bicycle together
The spirits are still living
And the memories are real
It’s easy to remember
But more difficult to feel
Holidays can try us
We have to be so careful
And that’s why I’ve concluded
It’s important to be prayerful
To take more than a minute
Of prudent contemplating
To call to mind the moment
That has us celebrating
It matters not the month or date
Or season of the year
The spirit that we’re longing for
Is always—almost here