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• ‘Twas the Flight Before Christmas
  by Steven Howland

  Twas the flight before Christmas, when all through the the sky
  Family and relatives still had to fly.
  The bags were all stowed by handlers with care
  In hopes that the runway soon would be there.
  The passengers were nestled all snug in their seats
  And stewards were peddling all kinds of treats.
  The copilot had just taken control
  And flight 1224 was now on a roll.

  When out on the wing there arose such a clatter
  I unbuckled my seat belt to see what was the matter
  Away to the exit row I flew like a flash
  Careful, lest passengers see me dash.
  The moon on the glistening wing at midnight
  is always to me the most beautiful sight,
  But what sights my tired eyes did combine
  But a miniature Boeing with eight tiny turbine.
  With a little old pilot, so lively and quick
  I knew in a moment in must be St. Nick.

  More rapids then Concordes his turbines did speed
  and he shouted commands to his high flying steed.
  “Down flaps, down gear, check fuel and ignition.
  (How fondly we remember the days of the piston)
  to the top of the tail, to the top of the wing.
  Now pull back, and flare, and land this old thing.”
  As light planes before a thunderstorm fly
  He flashed past the window in a wink of an eye
  And onto the wings the small craft then flew
  With a plane full of toys and St. Nicholas, too.
  And then, in a twinkling, I heard the sound
  of spinning and whining when his engines shut down.
  As I drew back in wonder and crouched on the floor
  He threw open the emergency exit door
  There was no rush of tumbling air
  and passengers slept on with nary a care.

  St Nick wore red coveralls with tool pockets and bells
  and the odor of jet fuel we all love so well.
  A bundle of toys he had flung on his back
  and he looked like a mechanic just opening his pack
  His nose – like a cherry. His eyes were so bright!
  The tag on his pocket said “Remove Before Flight.”
  His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow.
  His pipe was unlit – no smoking, you know.
  He had lost some weight, too, for keeping his medical
  Though to see a slim Santa seems quite heretical,

  But he still shook when he laughed and seemed without care
  at walking on wings in the wide open air.
  He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work
  of filling the seat pockets; then turned with a jerk
  And laying a finger aside of his nose
  And giving a nod out the exit he rose
  He sprang to his Boeing and to the engines yelled “Clear!”
  And away they old flew like the running of deer.
  But I heard him exclaim, ‘ere he flew out of sight.
  “Merry Christmas to all and to all a good flight.”

  Reply

• Best of the season to you.

  Thanks for another year of interesting articles.

  The “Care Package” from Spain arrived over Thanksgiving. We are enjoying Fino y Jamón and wishing to be back in Europe.

  Happy Hollidays to all of the your regular readers from a very cold, 15ºF, Baton Rouge.

  Reply

• Merry Christmas everyone!

  Reply

• Thanks for all the interesting articles over the year. Enjoy your break and the time with family. Wishing you and all of us a peaceful 2023.

  Reply

• Hi Sylvia, hope you have a lovely Christmas with family in Germany. Being half German , I too have family in Germany but not seen them for many years , my wife has a fear of flying! ( I know ! )
  The Shepherd is a great story which I first read a few years back . I heard they were making a film of it here in UK with John Travolta , but not heard any more about it . Would be a lovely film to watch at christmas.
  Anyway, merry Christmas to everyone, don’t eat and drink too much . Oh , what the hell , just eat and drink what you like , it’s Christmas !!

  Reply

• Have a wonderful Christmas, Sylvia and a happy healthy New Year 2023 to you and all the people who follow your website and stories. I watched the film An Incredible Christmas Story from WW II – what a fascinating story. I look forward to your stories in 2023, Sylvia.

  Reply