Christmas Eve

It was the night before Christmas and all were asleep.
No one made a noise, not even a peep.
The little tikes slept, all tucked in their beds
With pictures of St. Nick whirling about in their heads.
A little boy waited for old St. Nick.
And all of the sudden he heard the snap of a stick.
A sound out of doors made the boy jump.
He looked out the window and saw St. Nick on a stump.
The young boy looked with his eyes all aglow
At the man dressed in red standing out in the snow.
He tip-toed out of his room and down the hall.
He saw old St. Nick putting out presents and all.
He watched very quietly, peeking through a crack in the door.
He shifted positions and heard the creak of the floor.
The jolly man turned, and through his white beard smiled.
They just stood there and stared at each other a while.
St. Nick whispered, "Merry Christmas to you."
The young lad smiled and said, "And the same to you."
The jolly man went to the roof with a thump.
The boy looked out the window and saw him land on the stump.
St. Nick flew away calling, "Ho, ho, ho!"
And the little boy looked and saw only the snow.
He looked at the tree and saw presents there.
And then he knew that he might need to share.
He told his parents of his night in the morning.
Smiling they replied, "You were only dreaming, darling."