'Twas the week before Christmas... bah, humbug!

Holiday traditions come in all shapes and sizes. One tradition of Racine's Downtown Rotary Club is hearing the following poem shortly before Christmas each year. The poem was written in 1990 by John Crimmings, who notes that, unfortunately, it is as applicable and timely today as when written almost 20 years ago.

By John P. Crimmings

’Twas the week before Christmas
And all that I’ve seen
Are decorations all up
Since before Halloween

The lights are all bright
And the trees are in place
And there seems to be glitter
In every conceivable space

But the economy’s bad
And sales are way down
St. Nick, himself
Seems to be wearing a frown

People are trying
To spread the good cheer
But it seems to be harder;
More difficult each year.

The same kind of problems
Keep rearing their head:
Trouble here and abroad
People need to be fed.

The Spirit keeps slipping
Year after year.
There’s So much uncertainty,
Commercialism and fear.

Remember the Holidays
Of years long since past
And how you would yearn
For that Spirit to last?

It went so much deeper
Than “Good girls and boys.”
It had much more meaning
Than glitter and toys.

Adeste Fideles,
Oh! Holy Night,
Away in the Manger
And Silent Night.

The music is special.
The message is clear.
The problem is living it
Year after year.

It’s the feeling within us
That keeps it alive;
The Spirit of sharing
To which we must strive.

So this is the challenge
To each of us here.
To foster good wishes;
To broaden the cheer.

To carry the message
Of Christmases past.
To continue the Spirit.
To make the love last.

’Twas the week before Christmas
And all that I’ve seen
Are decorations all up
Since before Halloween.

But, if it’s the hoopla
That brings Christmas cheer
Let the trees, wreaths and lights
Stay up the whole year.

John P. Crimmings is General Sales Manager & Vice President, First Weber Group, Southern Wisconsin LLC.