HOLIDAY MEMORIES: Holiday poem: 'Christmas This Year'

Christmas this year will be special, I know,

with or without the presence of snow.

It's a family tradition to have a live tree

with decorations made by the children and me.

We'll start with the lights, that is a must!

Then place the angel on top to watch over us.

Hours are spent stringing popcorn with care.

These are truly good times that we will all share.

Paper chains we will make with colors so bright,

they'll rival the stars that shine in the night.

Candy canes hanging all over the tree

will be a pleasing sight for all to see.

Ornament and icicles, they will come next.

Our Christmas tree surely will be blessed.

Baking cookies and cakes will be so much fun!

We'll eat all the ones that get too well done.

The rest go to friends both far and near,

to let them all know they are special and dear.

Christmas Eve is our favorite time of all

Singing songs 'round the tree, we'll all have a ball.

The fireplace will glow with embers of red,

We'll all hang our stocking before going to bed.

But first we'll leave cookies by the living room light.

(We can't forget Santa - it wouldn't be right!)

Children's voices will awake us before the dawn

(I'll have to fix breakfast before the candy's all gone!)

We'll open our presents one by one

We'll all take turns until we are done.

We'll read of the Christ child and of his birth.

We'll talk of the good things he did while on Earth.

As we partake of our dinner at the end of the day,

we'll give thanks for our blessings.

What more can I say?

• Lula Neal is a Carson City resident who writes a poem every Christmas.