'Twas the night before Christmas - out on the ranch

NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS-out on the ranch

'Twas the night before Christmas & out on the ranch
The pond was froze over & so was each branch.
The snow was piled up belly-deep to a mule.
The kids were all home on vacation from school,

And happier young folks you never did see-
Just all sprawled around a-playing their Wii.
Then suddenly, some time around 8 o'clock ,
There came a surprise that gave them a shock!

The power went off, the TV went dead!
When Grandpa came in from out in the shed
With an armload of wood, the house was all dark.
"Just what I expected," they heard him remark.

"Them power line wires must be down from the snow.
Seems sorter like times on the ranch long ago."
"I'll hunt up some candles," said Mom. "With their light,
And the fireplace, I reckon we'll make out all right."

The teenagers all seemed enveloped in gloom.
Then Grandpa came back from a trip to his room,
Uncased his old fiddle & started to play
Some old Christmas songs the ole' fashioned way.

Mom started to sing, & 1st thing they knew
Both Pop & the kids were all singing them, too.
They sang Christmas carols, they sang "Holy Night,"
Their eyes all a-shine in the warm firelight.

They played some charades Mom recalled from her youth,
And Pop read a passage from God's Book of Truth.
They stayed up til' midnight--and, would you believe,
The youngsters agreed 'twas a fine Christmas Eve?

Grandpa rose early, some time before dawn;
And when the kids wakened, the power was on..
"The power company sure got the line repaired quick,"
Said Grandpa - & no one suspected his trick.

Last night, for the sake of some REAL Christmas fun,
Gramps pulled the main switch - the old Son-of-a-Gun!

-anonymous-