The Adolescent Christmas

She shuffles room to room, snarling at the world,
Huffing at the pointlessness, lip profoundly curled,
Kicking at the presents lying round the tree,
Mumbles quietly from her hood "Bet there's none for me!"

Shambling she enters, voice sardonically dry
"If you think I'm sitting down for lunch with you - I'd rather die"
Turning on her DM heel before I can reply,
Biting back a sharp retort, I heave a wistful sigh.

Sitting in the kitchen, I list the things I need,
The couch potato mumbles the adolescent creed
"What is the point of Christmas? It's just a waste of time.
It's all about possessions..." I laugh. "Can't wait for mine!"

She snorts at the ridiculous. Her dark mood putrefies.
"Darling, I forget. Do you even like mince pies?"
"I hate you and I hate all this. I don't know why you bother?"
Silently I answer - Because I am your mother...

Carefully I empty out the decorations box
And find, right at the bottom, two enormous threadbare socks,
Lovingly embroidered, in loopy, bright green writing,
Left over from a time when Santa Claus was still exciting...

Gingerly I fix them above the fireplace
With sellotape and ribbons, then turn about to face
The girl slumped on the sofa, her stare forlorn and tragic.
Defensively I state "I'm not too old for Christmas magic!"

She shrugs and disappears, runs up the stairs and slams the door,
I pick a bit of paper, lying screwed up, off the floor,
Mindlessly I open it, smooth out it's angry creases
"MUM - DUNNO - NO MUNNEY"
I tear it into pieces...

Suddenly I understand the stomping and the mood,
It's not about the time of year, or sitting down for food,
It isn't that the silly jokes in crackers aren't that funny -
It's just that Christmas...
Now...
Is simply...
All about the money!

I wake up bright and early, but she's been up a while,
She's sitting on the sofa with a slightly bashful smile.
She mumbles "Merry Christmas...Can we open stockings please?"
Can't help a gentle giggle as I lay it on her knees!

There's oranges and chocolates and nuts and bars of candy,
A smelly bar of soap for me, for her a can of shandy,
Then tucked into the toe, a scrap of paper, torn and curled...
"I DO LIKE MINSE PIES REELY -
AND YOURS ARE -THE- BEST IN THE WORLD x"