’Tis 10 days before Christmas,

There’s still so much to do;

Shopping, wrapping and baking,

Just to name a few.

Amazon, UPS and USPS,

Are now my good friends.

They deliver my purchases,

Filled with the year’s latest trends.

My children want gift cards,

My parents don’t want “things;”

They want their family closer,

And the joy that effort brings.

I’m checking my list twice,

On what I still need to buy.

I’m quite frazzled;

Thank goodness for hair dye.

Quite the chore has been finding a tree,

Prices are higher for one so fine.

Something to do with the cost of fertilizer;

I need a glass of wine.

The turkey, the ham and the sides,

Are all higher this year.

The costs have all risen,

As the holidays draw near.

Let’s not talk about my house,

Cluttered with stuff.

Waiting for sorting and wrapping,

I think I’ll have a cream puff.

Did I mention the ATM machine,

Decided to eat my card?

Did I need this hassle this week?

It’s making shopping a little hard.

Can we get together this year,

Due to COVID, RSV and the flu?

Are things back to normal;

If not, what do we do?

We celebrate the holiday,

In whatever way works best.

Scale back on the gifts,

Get plenty of rest.

Gas prices are down,

That is a blessing.

What money we are saving,

Will be spent on food I am guessing.

Missing your loved ones,

Who aren’t with us this year?

Celebrate the good times you had,

It’s OK to shed a tear.

As we celebrate the birth of a baby,

Born one special Christmas season.

This magical time,

Helps us to remember the reason.

Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah,

To those near and far.

Whatever your holiday may look like,

Wherever you are.

I’m exhausted already,

My “to do” list grows each day

I’m taking a break for a cookie

While I wait for Santa’s sleigh.

Happy Holidays!

Debbie Galbraith

editor

East Penn Press

Salisbury Press