"Twas a Couple of Weeks before Christmas" Poem by Janey Loree

"Twas a Couple of Weeks before Christmas"

‘Twas a couple of weeks before Christmas, when all through the mall,

Not a creature was stirring, not even a paper doll;

Their outfits were drawn by the artist with care,

In hopes that little children soon would be there;

The children were gathered around the computer upstairs,

As visions of paper dolls danced in pairs.

So Momma with her paint brush, and I with my scanner,

Arranged our paper dolls in much the same manner.

When out on the web there arose such a clatter,

I sprang to my desktop to see what was the matter!

Away through Windows, I flew to our paper doll site,

To check out www.pjscornergiftshoppe.com byte by byte.

The snowflakes were falling like new-fallen snow,

As I clicked on the paper doll link on the top row;

When what to my wondering eyes should I see,

But a page full of paper dolls waiting for me.

With a little teddy named Neddy, and International Friends,

More paper animals, Family Friends, Universal kids and twins;

More and more of these paper dolls they came,

As the children personalized and called them by name!

“Now, Rueben! Now, Rachel! Now Janae and Melly!

On, Amber! On, Chrissy! On, Juanita and AnnaBelle(y)!

Now, Gracie! Now, Su-Lang! Now, Natasha and PJ’s Paper Baby Doll,

Now, cut away, cut away, cut away all!”

Now, Fawn! Now, Donnie! Now Andy and Gunny!

On, Tuppy! On, Smitty! On, Neddy and Penny!

Now away to their beds the children they flew,

Leaving the site open, so their parents could see, too.

And then in a twinkling, the parents could see,

How much fun cutting out paper dolls really could be.

As they placed an order and were turning around,

Their order was ready and came with a bound.

The order included a matching paper doll coloring book,

Stickers, cards, stationery and a mark for their favorite book.

A bundle of items were ready to cut and add to the fun,

As hours of excitement and enjoyment had just begun.

Their eyes how they twinkled! Their dimples how cute!

They had dresses and coats, and hats and boots.

There were purses and umbrellas, jewelry and flowers,

Enough to have fun for hours and hours!

They talked all at once, as they started their playing,

Remembering the suggestions for cutting and displaying:

“Start anywhere you like...as you cut to the right,

Staying right of the outer black line.

Poke holes under the arms, and along the dotted lines,

Trimming them up to look just fine!”

And I laughed when I saw them, in spite of myself,

There were paper dolls all dressed and lined up on the shelf!

Then I heard the children exclaim, as they cut with all their might:

“Happy cutting to all, and to all a good night!”

I wrote this poem, adapting it from Clement C. Moore’s “A Visit From St. Nicholas”, more popularly know as “’Twas The Night Before Christmas”. It was published in PJ's Paper Doll Memories eNewlsetter in December of 2005.