'Twas the day after Christmas

I found this poem in the newspaper and thought I'd share!

Twas the day after Christmas
And all through their home
The toys were all scattered
Or carelessly thrown.
The children were drifting
From toy to new toy,
While failing batteries
Impeded their joy.

Dad was computing,
Adding the bills,
Of the costs of the presents,
The food and the frills.
And as he totaled,
His anxiety grew
Of how he would pay
When they all became due.

Mom was out shopping
The post-Christmas spree,
When most every item
Is practically free.
Stretching their dollars
To buy family stuff,
And wondering when
What she had was enough.

They're a good-hearted fam'ly,
They're one of the first
To help out when somebody's
Need is the worst.
They aid one and all
With their generous labors,
And shovel the snow
From the walks of their neighbors.

Like most of us all
They get trapped in the blitz,
Of the tinsel, the trimmings,
The pre-Christmas glitz.
And then comes that moment
When Christmas is here
And we wonder if we
Caught the vision this year.
Sometimes we don't,
And sometimes we do,
And it's not rocket science
To distinguish the two.

It's shown in the way
We see one another:
A shopping opponent,
Or friend, or a brother.
Did we push to be first?
Or agree to be last?
Did we offer a smile
To those rushing past?
Did we find many ways
To share Christmas cheer?
Did we give away much,
And keep little this year?

In all of the rush,
Did we pause to remember
The reason we do all of this
Each December?
That story of promise,
A stable and star,
A child and shepherds,
And kings from afar?
The gifts come and go,
As does the whole season,
But centuries later
What stays is the reason.

It shows that we know
The true Christmas essence,
That notable difference of
Presents and presence,
When we can exclaim
With a genuine cheer,
"Merry Christmas to all,
And to all a good year!"