Thursday, December 20, 2007

A Family Favorite

"THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS"
(Spanglish Version)

'Twas the night before Christmas and all through the casa,

Not a creature was stirring -- Caramba! Que pasa?

Los niños were tucked away in their camas,

Some in long underwear, some in pijamas,

While hanging the stockings with mucho cuidado

In hopes that old Santa would feel obligado

To bring all children, both buenos and malos,

A nice batch of dulces and other regalos.

Outside in the yard there arose such a grito

That I jumped to my feet like a fightened cabrito.

I ran to the window and looked out afuera,

And who in the world do you think that it era?

Saint Nick in a sleigh and a big red sombrero

Came dashing along like a crazy bombero.

And pulling his sleigh instead of venados

Were eight little burros approaching volados.

I watched as they came and this quaint little hombre

Was shouting and whistling and calling by nombre:

"Ay Pancho, ay Pepe, ay Cuco, ay Beto,

Ay Chato, ay Chopo, Macuco, y Nieto!"

Then standing erect with his hands on his pecho

He flew to the top of our very own techo.

With his round little belly like a bowl of jalea,

He struggled to squeeze down our old chiminea,

Then huffing and puffing at last in our sala,

With soot smeared all over his red suit de gala,

He filled all the stockings with lovely regalos --

For none of the niños had been very malos.

Then chuckling aloud, seeming very contento,

He turned like a flash and was gone like the viento.

And I heard him exclaim, and this is verdad,

Merry Christmas to all, and Feliz Navidad!


Jim and Nita Lee (Dec. 1972)

11 comments:

Jackie said...

Funny, but when I read this, I have to slow down and think about which words are english and which are spanish...

Ashley said...

That...is the single funniest thing I have ever read!! ROTFL That was great! I love it! =D

Abouna said...

Excellente. I loved it

AB5SY said...

Santa told me to tag you for a Meme, instructions can be found at my blog. :)

Dawn said...

Really cute! Feliz Navidad!!

Sarah Joy said...

Oh how funny! Wow, you made me laugh! Ha ha ha ha ha!

MathewK said...

Merry Christmas JM, hope you and the family have a wonderful one.

John J. Kaiser said...

I love that picture on top. The scene looks so tranquil and idyllic.

Liz said...

I surely speak this language!!!

And something similar to what Jackie described happened to me: I had to read it outloud to separate languages.

Very cute!

Anonymous said...

The last time I say this poem was in the School Newspaper at Academy La Castellana in Caracas, around 1968...

Thanks for the trip down memory lane!

Feliz Navidad!

Joe Gringo said...

¡Que bueno!

¡Feliz Navidad y que tenga un buen fin de semana!