‘Twas the night before Christmas when everyone looks
For stories, and movies, and good holiday books.
Though the novels are placed on the shelves with care,
To help all the readers who are browsing there,
There are more than books all snug on their shelves,
For those seeking stories to entertain themselves.

Virtually speaking, there are audiobook delights
Such as A Christmas Blizzard, a lost man’s plight.
Or download a tale by author Brenda Novak,
The Heart of Christmas, where a woman looks back.
And the audio tale 12 Stories of Christmas,
Trust me, you won’t want to miss this.
Pastor Robert Morgan’s book, a collection of tales,
He shares with his church on Christmas Eve never fails.

Or if tradition is what makes you sing,
A Christmas Carol by Dickens may be just the thing.
Fully dramatized by an incredible cast,
This downloadable book enlivens the past.
Or the classic story The Bishop’s Wife,
Where an angel arrives to smooth away strife.
And the Gift of the Magi, O. Henry’s short story
Will fill your spirit with love and with glory.

If it’s romance you seek at this time of the year
Try All is Bright, All is Calm for some holiday cheer.
And Finally Home about a woman named Casie
Has wild horses, wild hearts, and is a little bit sassy!
Or travel back in the past with By Winter’s Light
A Christmas celebration, magical and bright.

Many love mystery as the holidays near
And turn to Hamish Macbeth at this time of the year.
The Scottish constable in A Highland Christmas
Is a cozy tradition you won’t want to miss.
In The Nightingale Before Christmas by Donna Andrews
A holiday tour turns deadly, and there are no clues!
Jane and the Twelve Days of Christmas is sure to delight
As Jane Austen follows the trail to bring the answer to light.

There are so many more, but my poem is too long
And I haven’t even mentioned eBooks, DVDs, or songs.
All are available from the library for holiday cheer
On a cold winter’s night at the end of the year.

So if your cheeks are like roses, and your nose like a cherry
From being so busy you have no time to tarry,
Let someone else read you a book while you work
And drive, cook, and do all the things you can’t shirk.
You may exclaim like St. Nick, ere he drove out of sight—
“Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!”