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One of the reasons that the Christmas season is filled with warmth and comfort is because of the presence of traditions. Whether they be societal traditions, ones handed down from generation to generation, or those we’ve created for ourselves, traditions enrich our lives by tying present events to past, allowing us the dual pleasures of living in the moment while embracing feelings of nostalgia.

For the past several years Kailana has been hosting the Virtual Advent, a holiday themed blogging event where various bloggers sign up to post about the season beginning December 1st up through Christmas Eve. And every year Kailana and I share the final day (her post is here), often posting something necessitating a visit to each of our sites.

This year I came up with the idea of posting that traditional seasonal poem, Twas the Night Before Christmas, accompanied by images we would find online. Time has gotten away from me and while I had a much more elaborate plan of finding pictures that actually synched up with the stanzas of the poem, I’ve had to abandon that plan for something a little different. Between the poem’s lines you’ll find various science fiction and fantasy related images that give me a holiday feeling. Some images match the words in my own warped imagination, others do not. I apologize ahead of time.

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Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St Nicholas soon would be there.

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The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads.
And mamma in her ‘kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap.

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.

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The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below.
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer.

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With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name!

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“Now Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! On, Cupid! on, on Donner and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!”

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As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky.
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of Toys, and St Nicholas too.

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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 chimney St Nicholas came with a bound.

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He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot.
A bundle of Toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler, just opening his pack.

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His eyes-how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow.

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The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly!

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He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself!
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.

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He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings, then turned with a jerk.
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose!

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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, ‘ere he drove out of sight,
“Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!”

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It really is the most wonderful time of the year in so many ways: The challenge of finding that perfect gift that suits the person you are buying for that you know will give them a thrill on Christmas morning. The sound of Bing and Frank and Nat and Dean and Burl–the crooners who are Christmas music to me. The warm, twinkling glow of Christmas lights on a dark winter’s night. The excuse to bring family and friends together to ply them with home cooking and baked goods. I can already feel it creeping up on me, that feeling of melancholy that comes on the heels of an enjoyable holiday season.

As Christmas Eve and Christmas Day approaches, I want to wish each and every one of you a joyous day. I hope each of you has at least one moment of sublime happiness during the day, a moment when you can sigh and say, “All is right with the world”. I appreciate your friendship and look forward to spending 2012 with you.

Merry Christmas, dear friends.