Chrismas Eve storytime

Papa always says that Christmas is about family and observing traditions. In our case, this year was about making our own traditions. On Christmas Eve we visited my friend Jaime and her parents for some fun. When we returned, I was rather sleepy but papa read “Twas the night before Christmas” to me.
The version below was not read, though papa assures me it really happened. All apologies to Clement Moore.

Twas the night before Christmas
And all through the home
Every animal was stirring and on the roam.
Belle had finally snuggled into her crate,
For Gribouille's nerves she had started to grate.
Emmanuelle was nestled tightly in her bed,
While thoughts of pulling Toulouse's tail playing in her head.
With maman in her mismatched cotton PJs,
And me just trying to avoid causing a flap,
We had settled down for a nightly nap.
Then out on the lawn arose such a clatter,
I bolted from the bed to see what was the matter.
When what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a outdated sleigh and eight frazzled reindeer.
The visions were so vivid and stark
I knew in a moment my meds failed to work.
More rapid then Belle's recalls
His coursers they came
The fat guy chortled and called them by name.
Now Lips! Now Sebestien!
Now Patatoff and Lilie!
On Tigrou! On Eeyore!
On Winnie and Lumpy!
To the top of the porch
Just get over that wall
Get going right now
We're going to stall.
Suddenly, with no notice,
The sleigh landed with a poof
And I could hear the collapse of each little hoof.
Toulouse was now hiding under the bed,
With Gribouille sleeping like the dead.
The fracas had to be explored,
Finally turning around I gathered my druthers,
In Santa ran, Belle's heart now aflutter.
The next moment went by like a blur,
Belle was now licking all of Santa's fur
From his head to his foot,
My reputation was now tarnished
Our good named turned to soot.
That bundle of toys for Elle left on his back,
The sour old man threatened to take back!
His eyes how they glared
The man suddenly lacked merry
His cheeks were all chubby
Really he was quite scary.
Elle's first Christmas poised for ruin
The dog and I sprang into action.
Begging and pleading to his sense of duty,
We offered cheese, crackers and drinks that were fruity.
The stump of his pipe
He held up to my teeth
With a large finger he ordered me under the wreath
Finally he mellowed a tad.
Then he grabbed his big belly
And it shook when he laughed
Belle just ate his sandwich of jelly.
Now comfortably at ease
That silly old elf
He scoffed at Belle
In spite of himself.
A tip of his cap
A quirky tilt of his head
Soon sent a signal
Any legal action was now dead.
He stepped over Gribouille
And quickly began his work
He filled Elle's stocking
Muttering still, “Belle you jerk.”
Extending his right hand
To offer a truce
Tis Christmas after all
Even for Toulouse.
He stumbled to his sleigh
His minions at the ready
Away they all flew
Gone at last, nice and steady.
But I heard his exclaim as he drove out of sight:
“Good riddance to Belle
To everyone else a good night!”