‘Twas the Night Before Christmas (in CondoLand)
[Editor’s note : Our traditional Christmas post was drafted just a short while ago, when we all hoped for a more inclusive and festive holiday period. As we’ve seen far too often over the last 20 months, however, the situation is fast changing on us, with more measures being required to slow the spread of the Omicron variant. Still, as we’re all dragging ourselves to the finish line after an incredibly challenging year, we figured we all needed a laugh. So, with humour, we present our Holiday post. This year again, we offer to revisit another Christmas classic.]
As our last post of the year, we wondered how Clement Clarke Moore would have described St. Nick’s visit had he lived in a condo. Here is CondoLand’s version of his well-known poem “A visit from St. Nicholas“, better known as…
‘Twas the Night Before Christmas
‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the condo,
Not a resident was stirring; work was done at the C.A.O.
The stockings were hung by the chimneys with care,
They’re part of the units, changes can be made there.
Owners nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of surpluses danced in their heads.
Managers in their ‘kerchief; directors in their cap,
Workers must use the COVID Screening App.
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
The Super sprang from his bed to see what was the matter.
Thinking it was a loud owner, he flew like a dash,
Cracked open his cell phone to call Denise Lash.
The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow,
Reminded him to clear it from the parking below.
When, what to his wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer.
With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
He knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.
Not slipping, not falling, avoiding a claim,
He whistled, and shouted, and called them by name:
“Now, PFIZER! now, BOOSTER! now, JOHNSON and JOHNSON!
On, ASTRA! on ZENECA! on, MODERNA and JANSSEN!
Higher than the penthouse to the top of the wall!
Now wash away! Mask away! Purell for all!”
And then, in a twinkling, he heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
This, thought the Super, must be breaking a rule,
Down the chimney came Santa with an aura of Yule.
His eyes twinkled with much jubilation,
No need to prove vaxx, Santa isn’t a “patron”.
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a grin,
Remembering lessons from Rod and the Twins.
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his task,
And filled all the stockings; adjusting his mask.
Illegally parked on the roof, but to avoid C.A.T.
Up the chimney he rose with contagious glee.
He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
The Super heard him exclaim, as he drove out of sight,
“HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO ALL, AND TO ALL A GOOD-NIGHT!”
Twenty-one was a long year, with COVID and such,
But we’ve pulled through it all, even when it was much.
Santa’s been watching, we’ve been none the wiser,
Happy Holidays All, from the Condo Adviser.
*****
Here we are Folks! We’ve made it through another incredibly challenging year!
To help you through it, we published some 57 blog posts and held 11 Condo Adviser webinars with the support of amazing guests. In return, you’ve read us more than 280,000 times! We can’t thank you enough for your readership, trust and support.
Regrettably, it seems we’re not quite over the hump yet. But CondoLand is determined and resilient. We will continue to push through this together and find news ways to support and care for each other.
Let us wish each other a kind, healthy and peaceful 2022. Let this be the year where we can again meet in person, shake hands, share a meal and see each other’s smiles.
As we sign off for the year, from our families to yours, our very best wishes for the season!
Merry Christmas, dear friends!
Rod