A Christmas Bonus - T'was the Night Before Christmas in The Villages

A reading I had to do just for you.

As a BONUS - short recap of Christmas Tuba Concert:

Watch the 2025 Tuba Concert in The Villages at The Tracy

Transcript

T'was the Night Before Christmas

Mike Roth AI4: [00:00:00] T' was the night before Christmas and all through the square. Not a creature was stirring The bar. huts were bare. At home. Stockings were hung by the hot tub with care. 

In hopes that St. Nicholas would soon be there.

Villagers nestled all snug in their beds.

While visions of orange blossoms danced in their heads.

Mom in her reindeer red socks nation cap.

We huddled together against the 75 degree cold snap. 

When out near the pool there were rows such a clatter.

I sprang for my bed to see what was the matter.

There in the moonlight. Our garden gnomes were [00:01:00] scattered. 

They were tossed and uprooted, dented and battered. 

Who could have done this without even a worry.

I'll call community watch to strike fear in a hurry.

When what I did see through my sleepy fog.

But a golf cart sleigh pulled by dynamic drill team dogs.

 This must be a dream. I would need more proof. 

The scene probably just fell from my neighbor's roof. 

 I rubbed both my eyes and squinted hard.

It looked like the sleigh had done donuts in my yard.

 Then the old driver, a rose, he moved lively and quick.

But there was no way this could be saying Nick. 

He called to his dogs. Faster than Gators [00:02:00] they came.

And he whistled and shouted, and he called them by name:

Now Max, now Charlie, now Peanut and Kaboodles!

On Roscoe, on Radar, on Lucky and Doodles.

Now. Dash away, dash away, dash away all

But none of them moved, the sleigh's GPS had stalled.

 I pulled back from the window and was turning around.

Went through the front door. St. Nick came with a bound.

Excuse me, he said when he saw me freeze.

Is this the Village of Donnybrook or is it Tall Trees?

A wink in his eye and a twist of his head soon revealed that I had nothing to dread.

He was clever and witty. And a right [00:03:00] jolly old elf. 

I laughed as we spoke, and then he leaned in for a selfie. I gave him cookies and milk and a village's map. He left in return and dropped a gift in my lap, a bundle of presence. He had flung on his back. 

He looked like a farmer's market vendor opening his pack. He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work 

And filled all the stockings and turned with a jerk. He seemed confused but not wanting to be rude. He waved his hand in the air and said. Where's the chimney? Dude? The answer seemed obvious, so I said, with a sigh.

Why don't you simply leave through the lanai? He sprang to his sleigh [00:04:00] and his team gathered round and as they took off, I swear. They left the ground. They reached the multimodal path, and as I watched them go, something started falling from the sky, Florida snow.

And then I heard Nick Exclaim as he drove out of sight. Merry Christmas to all. And to all a good night.

This was a version created by the Daily Sun

on December 24th, 2025.

I hope you enjoyed.