"T’was the week before Christmas,

And all through the house,

Not a creature was stirring,

Except my Mac mouse…"

"As I scrolled side-to-side,

My brain came up racked,

I said to myself,

"My God I’ve been hacked!"

"My dilemma was clear,

Through no fault of mine,

If the kids were to get gifts,

I could not do it on-line."

"So, off I sped,

Straight out of the door,

To do what I hate most,

Shop in a real store."

"From counter to counter,

I sprang like an elf,

But only to find,

There was nothing but shelf."

"My kids would hate me,

Of this I was certain,

To return empty handed,

My name would be "curtains."

"As the kids all slept

With their warm blankets on,

I tried one more boot,

And up came "Amazon!"

"I cried a loud cheer,

Put some gifts in my cart,

Then pressed "two-day mail,"

And blessed my own heart."

"So, let it be said,

That you were all duly warned,

know Christmas is for giving,

and you’ll never be scorned.""

With apologies to Clement Clarke Moore. Pisano, a writer, is a resident of Ford Plantation and an occasional contributor to the Coastal Courier.