A Working Mum's Christmas Poem by Sarah Taylor

Twas the lead-up to Christmas
When all through the town
Everybody was frantic
And rushing around

People searching for presents
For loved ones and friends
Each shift that I covered
Seemed never to end

Tirelessly I worked
Without any rest
Told so many times
I was ‘simply the best’

For stepping into the places
Of all that were ill
Helping to stack goods
And hang up tinsel

But each day as I decorated
The store with the baubles
I wondered if Christmas
Was worth all this trouble

Whilst excitement settled
About the festivities
I questioned the fun
Of the stressful activities

For though the store glistened
And merry tunes played
And all the new toys
Were out on display



I felt cold and grumpy
I felt just like Scrooge
It would have been a time of joy
Had I not known the truth

The children skipped gleefully
To meet “Father Christmas”
To sit on his knee
And recite their long wish list

You could see the pleasure
Shine in their eyes as
They hoped for a day
Of special surprises

In the happy faces
Of the boys and the girls
It was clear that they
Were on top of the world

I wanted that feeling
Of being young and zealous
I hate to admit it
But I was just jealous

I’d finished my last shift
To lock up I was trusted
Now that Christmas Eve shopping
Was all done and dusted

I walked from the store
And as I was leaving
The stress dissipated
And I relaxed for the evening

And when I got home
I flopped with a sigh
It was late, I was tired
And morning was nigh


I wished with all my heart
That the magic could return
As I drank “Santa’s” sherry
And watched the fire burn

Then I took myself off
To my big comfy bed
Where thoughts of my little girl
Crept into my head


She would be ecstatic
Come the next day
When we’d unwrap presents
And laugh all the way

I drifted to sleep
And dreamed of my childhood
Christmas wasn’t stressful
It was special and good

Twas the night before Christmas
When all through the town
Everybody was sleeping
Not making a sound