Nostalgia ain't what it used to be

For weeks I couldn't summon up sufficient festive spirit to pen the verses for this year's Christmas greetings, but just as I was resigning myself to buying a multipack of charity cards, the General Election result on Friday 13 December (how apt) shocked me out of my lethargy. Rod got out his watercolours, we stocked up with printer cartridges and Fabriano paper and envelopes and created downloadable print and fold versions for overseas friends and business associates.

So with apologies to Irving Berlin and to Sir Quentin Blake, here is the RhysJones  Christmas Card for 2019. 

We were dreaming of a white Christmas,

just like the ones we used to know,

when treetops glistened, politicians listened

and people weren’t homeless in the snow. 

We were hoping for a gold Christmas,

and honest people at the top,

with no pretensions, and best intentions

to make the Brexit nightmare stop.

Now we’re looking at a blue Christmas

this card is really hard to write,

when days aren’t merry or bright

and we await the promise of the right.

We’re dreaming of a green Christmas

when all the little girls and boys

say ‘how fantastic, there is no plastic

in our big stockings full of toys.’

We’re going to have a kind Christmas,

just like the ones we used to share,

when friends and neighbours did people favours

and all knew what was right and fair.

We wish you all a good Christmas

with peace on earth to everyone,

and a future that fills up with light

making all our Christmases glow bright.