‘Twas the Night Before Christmas (Santa's Sozzled) - A 2024 Poetry Challenge by Susie Field

The sound of sleigh bells fills the air,

Santa's arriving without a care.

He certainly seems extremely merry -

by the looks of it, he's been hitting the sherry.

The reindeers are struggling to keep the sleigh steady.

How on earth did the elves get everything ready?

They shouldn't have partied, but what a good night,

although poor Santa looks quite a sight.

Presents perched at a precarious angle.

Tinsel and ribbons in such a tangle.

"Get a move on," shouts Santa, as he breaks into song.

"If we go a bit faster, it shouldn't take long."

The presents survive the hazardous trip,

but Santa is feeling a little bit sick.

Mince pies and chocolates have soaked up the booze,

now he wants to go home with no time to lose.

Rudolph and friends take a well-earned break,

to munch on carrots and Christmas cake.

Relieved it's all over until next December,

but it's certainly been a night to remember.

"Heritage Park - Santa's Sleigh" by Sherlock77 (James) is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.