I started doing this on my old blog back in 2014, and I’m excited to be doing it here on Island Tidbits today. I hope you enjoy this St. John-version of ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas. Merry Christmas everyone.
Twas the night before Christmas, when all through Cruz Bay,
Smiling faces filled the streets, we love it this way!
The koozies were hung by The Beach Bar with care,
In hopes that a cold beer soon would appear.
So here in St. John, we do things our way,
We do not have reindeer or even a sleigh.
When Santa comes here, he comes in by ferry,
He strolls through the town, and always looks merry!
And as the crowds waited, we all heard a clatter,
I sprang from my barstool to see what’s the matter.
I ran past High Tide, I flew like a flash.
Arrived at The Landing when I heard a big splash!
The moon on the bay with the St. Thomas lights,
Giving a luster of midday to something in flight.
When what to my wondering eyes did appear,
But a miniature sleigh and eight tiny reindeer,
With a cute little driver so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment he must be St. Nick.
More rapid than mongoose, his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name:
“Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! on, Cupid! on, Donder and Blixen!
Let’s head out to Mongoose, I’m glad there’s no mall!
Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!
To the top of St. John, to Bordeaux we must fly,
With a quick stop at Tony’s, we need to say hi!
Then out to the East, the coursers they flew,
With a sleigh full of swag, and St. Nicholas too.
And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof,
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head and was turning around,
Down the palm tree St. Nicholas came with a bound.
He was wearing flip flops, had a drink in his hand,
He looked very happy to have swapped snow for the sand.
A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a pedler just opening his pack.
His eyes—how they twinkled! his dimples, how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
Which beach should I go to, he wanted to know,
Want to see turtles? Then check out Maho!
With sunscreen in hand and a snorkel in tow,
Santa was ready. Get on with the show!
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
that shook when he laughed, like a bowl full of jelly.
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
and I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself.
He grabbed his swim shorts, took a sip from his drink,
Santa picked up a map, then gave me a wink.
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings, then turned with a jerk.
He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, as he flew toward the Bight—
“Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!”