CHRISTMAS CRACKERS
At Christmas dinner, when I was a child, there
were Christmas crackers by each plate,
Decorated crepe paper of green and red, so pretty
and I could hardly wait
Until the meal was over for all the noise and
the great fun to begin
As we pulled the crackers, the sparks and bangs
then see what I did win.
There was always a paper crown, a saying
full of wisdom bright,
Then the real prize at last showed up and
came to light,
A whistle or dice, a little ring. a toy boat,
each a treasure to me,
One of the best parts of the feast as a child
it seemed to me.
One year dad’s boss had a party for all and
I won the door prize,
It was some Christmas crackers, it was a
box of enormous size,
Not one of the best from Woolworth’s but
Harrod’s in the big city,
They were huge and fancy, each one different
and every one so pretty.
You should have seen the table on that special,
festive Christmas day,
All the ooh’s and aa’s as they saw the wonderful
cracker display.
Dinner was eaten quickly, it was goose for turkey’s
were is short supply,
The best part of the Christmas feast was the crackers
no one would deny.
After the careful pulling to try and save the
pretty decorated cracker,
There was utter silence as we saw the gifts and I
wondered what was the matter,
Each cracker held the paper hat and the
clever cryptic saying,
But it was the prizes that made that time so
special and spellbinding.
For each one was made of silver, Stirling too
not cheap EPNS.
That little silver horse with bridle for many
years I did posses.
(Millicent) Ann Margetson 13 April 2004