L'Ombre Et La Lumiere

Ah, la poesie!...and lots of it! as Lemmy Caution said to the Computer Mind of Alphaville when asked whether he had dined.

I do not know whether I have mentioned it, but I do not like buying gifts for the sake of buying gifts. I despise the bric-a-brac and bagatelle mortar of our lives of pseudo-hedonistic Consumerism, where everything is cheap, poorly made, and tawdry.

Therefore, I create my own tawdry gifts, thereby saving a bundle. For Christmas, I buy fancy paper, but I print my own cards on it. I add a poem, or some sort of literary devilment, and all is done. (Apologies to real people of intelligence for any plagiarisms.) So, from Xmas 2006:  

Susan’s tree, enwrapt in needles’ mysterie, 
star visions, shining in the skies; 
gifting-time, either honey or the bee, 
hope-weaver of our lives! 
druid sylvan, motionless in prayer, 
with what eyes, solstice now observing; 
on mountains tops, once and forever, 
ancient feasts partaking? 
Susan’s Christmas place, filled to overflow, 
good food, wine and sweets embroidered; 
weaver of delight, our gifts bestow! 
all our fears occluded!