Twas The Barks Before Christmas-

Its Christmas Eve and all through the house the only creature stirring is me.

 I am wandering about the house- looking for my humans.  

Am sure they went to the Christmas Eve service at church.

Dad's sister came by to say,

"let's go hear what Pastor Billy has to say 

on this wonderful Christmas Eve-"

"Used by Permission, GraphicStock"

The house isn't decorated much this year- 

we have a Charlie Brown Christmas tree, 

a few nutcrackers- that's it.

For Mom and Dad have had a rough year and are a bit tired.

While they are gone, I look through the house with care.

Don't want to ruin any surprise they may have for me here-

I know they have Christmas decorations stored somewhere-

Probably in the dark basement-

I will sneak down and see what I can find-

Barking loud to scare off the spiders

when all of a sudden,

There rose such a clatter,

I looked to see what was the matter-

Credit: Flickr Creative Commons,
Kevin Dooley

Over in the corner, 

shiny lights and bulbs,

balloons and candy canes, 

and Christmas decorations galore.

I will take these up and out-

to see what I can do to make my human's shout.

A Christmas Tree, ornaments, 

white lights, colored lights,

All surely to delight,

As I pull them up and out of the basement.

I call my barkingly pawsome friends,

Lulu, Chase, Coal and Junior,

and my meowingly pawsome cat cousins:

Max, Zoey, Fancy, Buddy, Cassie, and Shelley

to help me make the Christmas special.

We must rush, for we have not much time.

We hustle, we bustle, we paw, we purr,

We bark, we scratch, 

No need for human tools

in this pawsome bunch!

The cats cousins have strung

the chimney and the house with care-
garland, stockings, candles,

Poinsettias, red and white,

and Christmas lights galore, 

a Nativity centers the space. 

Coal and Chase have run the yard,

Lulu and Junior pulling on the lights

all the trees and bushes done,

with nothing left untouched.

The cat cousins crawl across the 

top of the house while my dog

buddies hand the lights to cover

every nook and cranny of the house

with beautiful Christmas lights-

Credit: Flickr Creative Commons,
Jim, the Photographer

A Nativity dawns the front yard. 

We all stop in sudden silence and quiet,

not a purr is said nor is a whine or bark,

we humble ourselves around the cradle,

of the Baby Jesus,

we bow to honor Him who was born and the reason

we celebrate this Christmas season.

I hear their car coming... sounds like they are laughing,

must have had a great evening,

spending it at church,

with Dad's sister and many friends,

We scamper and run to the house 

and to the family room we go.

Cousins and all.

To hide ourselves and pretend,

we've been asleep and 

don't know at all,

the Christmas decorations on the front yard.

They drive right past the house!!!

Arf??  Meow??

They turn around and come back

only to drive by again,

BARK!! MEOW!!

We try to let them know. 

They come back and are surprised,

to see the house all aglow,

with Christmas cheer!!

Dad, his Sister and Mom,

All surprised at our decorating gift to them!

Credit: Flickr Creative Commons,
Karol Franks

We wish you

the Merriest Christmas!

from all of us at

"from The Dog's Paw!"