The Boy Who Laughed at Santa Claus

In Baltimore there lived a boy
He wasn't anybody's joy
Although his name was Jabez Dawes
His character was full of flaws.

In school he never led his classes
He hid old ladies' reading glasses
His mouth was open when he chewed
And elbows to the table glued
He stole the milk of hungry kittens
And walked through the door marked NO ADMITTANCE
He said he acted thus because
There wasn't any Santa Claus.

Another trick that tickled Jabez
Was crying "Boo" at little babies
He brushed his teeth, they said in town
Sideways instead of up and down
Yet people pardoned every sin
And viewed his antics with a grin
Til they were told by Jabez Dawes
That there isn't any Santa Claus!

Deploring how he did behave
His parents swiftly sought their grave
They hurried through the portals pearly
And Jabez left the funeral early.

Like whooping cough from child to child
He sped to spread the rumours wild
"Sure as my name is Jabez Dawes
There isn't any Santa Claus!"
Slunk like a weasel of a marten
Through nursery and Kindergarten
Whispering low to every tot
"There isn't any, no there's not."

He sprawled on his untidy bed
Fresh malice dancing in his head
When presently with scalp a-tingling
Jabez heard a distant jingling:
He heard the crunch of sleigh and hoof
Crisply alighting on the roof
What good to rise and bar the door?
A shower of soot was on the floor.

What was beheld by Jabez Dawes?
The fireplace full of Santa Claus!
When Jabez fell upon his knees
With cries of "Don't" and "Pretty Please"
He howled:  "I don't know where you read it
But anyhow I never said it!"
"Jabez," replied the angry saint,
"It isn't I, it's you that ain't.
Although there is a Santa Claus
There isn't any Jabez Dawes!"

Said Jabez then with impudent vim
"Oh yes there is, and I am him!
Your magic don't scare me, it doesn't"
And suddenly he found he wasn't!
From grimy feet to grimy locks
Jabez became a jack in the box
An ugly toy with springs unsprung
Forever sticking out his tongue.

The neighbours heard his mournful squeal
They searched for him but not with zeal
No trace was found of Jabez Dawes
Which led to thunderous applause
And people drank a loving cup
And went and hung their stockings up.

All you who sneer at Santa Claus
Beware the fate of Jabez Dawes
The saucy boy who mocked the saint
Donner and Blitzen licked off his paint.


Ogden Nash

Odgen Nash courtesy www.poets.org.

Advent: The Season of Anticipation

Today at church Jacqueline and I helped the Junior and Senior Kindergarten Sunday School students put together advent wreaths (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advent_wreath).  We gave each student a green wreath cut out of styrofoam-like material. Then, we gave them candle #1, HOPE, which they had to colour purple.  Next was candle #2 PEACE which they had to colour purple as well.  Candle #3 was JOY which they coloured pink.  Candle #4 was LOVE which they coloured purple and Candle #5 was JESUS which they left white.  Some of the students were already had their candles coloured and glued on.  Some needed help with the colouring and gluing.  Some needed help reading the five words.  But all were immersed in the activity, their little fingers working busily to finish the task.

The season of advent brings back great memories for me.  The anticipation of the coming of Christmas, the coming of Jesus, makes it so exciting.  I remember the Christmas wreath at our home church.  I always looked forward to the lighting of one candle, followed the next week by two, and so on, building up to the Jesus or Christ candle on Christmas Eve.  One of the Advent Sundays was also a white gift Sunday where we would wrap a canned good in white tissue paper, twist it at the ends and put it under the Christmas tree at the front of the sanctuary.

As an adult, we celebrate Advent at home as well, following Rob's German Lutheran tradition.  My mom gave us her old wreath which she used to hang on our front door.  I bought a holder which fits four candles which sits inside the wreath.  We sit it on our dining room table.  For each of the Sundays of Advent, once it gets dark, we light a candle on the wreath, and sing Christmas carols (English and German).  At the end, we take turns saying a prayer and blowing out a candle.  As toddlers, our children cried when they had to sit still for Advent.  As preschoolers, they suggested we sing Happy Birthday (the only song they knew by heart).  As older children, they loved the tradition.

In two weeks, we will light the Candle of PEACE.  I can already feel the anticipation.  Maybe some of my Kindergarten students will post their wreaths on their fridge doors.  Likely some will have an Advent wreath at home.  Maybe they'll even sing. I'm sure Jesus will smile when he hears their little voices.