Twas the Night Before Christmas

Twas the night before Christmas
And all through the shop
All the elves were busy working
Even Snap, Crackle, and Pop

Tools were arranged
By workstations with care
Waiting for the next toy
To be brought and placed there

When back in the forge there arose such a clatter
The supervisor ran back to see what was the matter
He saw the signs of a certain arc flash
Which easily could explain the very loud crash

The hole on the ceiling was letting in snow
Cooling the embers of the fire below
Panicked he looked for his workers’ fate
He was relieved when he counted out all eight

The fire crews arrived so lively and quick
And on their heals came a worried St. Nick
When he saw all eight, a smile it came
And he sighed and hugged and called them by name

Oh Pop, Oh Crackle, Oh Snap
I remember holding your children on my lap
I look at the roof that is now all blackened
We must look into this to know what happened

They were dressed in all fur, from head to foot
Their clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot
The mountains of toys all ready to pack
Still to be selected from the distribution rack

There was a job to be done all over this world
But Santa stopped to let this unfurl
An investigation cannot be done in a hurry
Else on his sleigh he would still have to worry

About the next elf who’d not be so blessed
To go home to his family and join the season’s fest
They all knew they had to take a step back
What was the hazard, what did they lack?

Santa’s eyes-how they twinkled! His dimples how merry!
“How did you get out of a situation so hairy”
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Gave Crackle the notion he had nothing to dread.

“Snap was taking a sample from the Electric Arc Furnace
And I was drinking cocoa from my thermos”
“I knew his Elf coat was fire proof…
What I didn’t see was the hole in the roof.”

“But Pop had jumped up and gave Snap a Whistle
If snow hit the slag it would turn to a missile.
The word he yelled cut through like a knife,
‘That sample is not worth your life!’”

“Snap ran to the porch then behind the wall
We dashed away, dashed away, dashed away all”
“Pop saved our lives despite all his fuss,
The fact is, he was looking out for us”

Santa spoke not a word but went straight to his sleigh
His precious elves were still alive today.
They had taught themselves to be aware,
The most perfect display of how much they care.

He sprang into his sleigh and gave them a wink
The events of the night made him rethink
When together we care, all will be right
“Merry Christmas to all, and to all a safe night!”