2019

With home remodeling going on, this seemed like the perfect subject.

T’was a week before Christmas and all ‘cross the pole
The elves were upset, they could not be consoled.
Things moved so slowly, they had come to a crawl
What possibly could be the reason for it all?

Mrs. Claus wanted change, of that she was sure.
She was tired of everything, it had become such a bore.
Remodeling was the key, from home to the factory,
She wanted it done until satisfactory.

So, she told Santa that the time had come
To spruce it all up so it wasn’t humdrum.
They went to the contractors who gave them a bid,
Not saying little pieces in their quotes had been hid.

Her changes included a multitude of things
She wanted the place to resemble Palm Springs.
A much bigger kitchen with more pots and pans
A rotisserie oven was part of her plans.

She wanted the Pole to always say Yule,
“I know”, she said, “a reindeer shaped pool.
We could surround it with sand from Miami Beach,
And grow hollies that would be just within reach.”

The bedroom rearranged, and the mattress refreshed
She wanted in her dreams, to become enmeshed.
The old living room needs switching around
Perhaps we could raise it up, off of the ground.

The factory now, was a different story,
To have it all working to meet Christmas glory.
The upgrades they’d make would have it streamlined
The better processing would here be defined.

The contractors made plans, and the elves did the work
There was John and Cindy and the one they called Dirk
And there was Jo and Bob, builders extraordinaire,
Combining their talents with style and flare.

The schedule was set, the workers assigned
No little detail would get left behind.
It had to be finished, the work all be done
So toy processes wouldn’t fail, not a single one.

But the progress went much slower,
the work just dragged on
Though the elves kept on working,
through dusk and through dawn.
The bath needed remodeling, the fireplace renewed
All the work schedules had gone all askew.

The head elf said, “Santa, we’re way over budget.”,
He just shook his head and said,
“Well, we’ll just have to fudge it.”
Toys weren’t being made, other things were behind
And they were trying to make it all so refined.

It was all kind of crazy, they needed to be finished
So that the holiday spirit would not be diminished.
They were remodeling the workshop,
the house, and the stables
And everything else “that we can if we’re able.”

They knocked down a wall and more problems did find,
It seemed that the elves and the fates were entwined.
Even the elves’ union did not bother to balk,
“There’s more that needs patching,
quick find me some caulk.”

Halfway through the job someone
spotted something dumb,
Most of the changes meant they had to replumb.
And the fireplace had moved to where it wasn’t so windy,
But it ended up in a spot with no chimney.

They worked day and night until a light they did see.
It was an oncoming train, which made one elf plea.
“Let’s keep on working, so we can rectify this mess,
We’ll have it so nice it won’t fail to impress.”

So they pushed and they worked ‘til the job it was done,
A victory it was that they had finally won.
But no time to celebrate, toys needed to be made,
These tasks fell in line like the perfect cascade.

Presents were made, from dollies to trains,
Stuffed pandas and dogs, and even some planes.
They whipped them right out, all the nice, pretty toys,
That would be a delight to the girls and the boys.

It was finally done, Santa packed up his sleigh,
And off he went shouting, “Up, up and away.”
And they heard him exclaim as he flew out of sight
Merry Christmas to all and, remodeling’s a fright.

Copyright Ó 2019 by

Brian and Shirley Dean