Christmas Family Dinner Poem by Clive Blake

'Is there anyone for stuffing?
Well done George, send us down your plate,
Auntie, if you've finished with the cranberry sauce
Could you please pass it across to Kate? '

'Brian can I interest you in my brussels?
There's nothing quite like a good sprout,
If anyone wants anything passed,
Don't wait to be asked, just shout.'

'Richard, will you please sit and eat,
And just stop irritating Claire,
No, you better wash your hands first,
You're getting gravy in her hair.'

'Ted, you wanted more potatoes,
What, you only want one or two?
But the ones left really aren't that big,
I'd better pile on a few.'

'Sarah, you're not looking after your young man,
The poor boy's been left to starve,
Go and get him some more turkey dear,
Your Father will help you to carve.'

'Malcolm, not too much in Grandma's glass,
You know what she gets like,
Open another red for Father,
I'll stick to the bubbly-white.'

'Well if everybody's had enough,
I think I'd better finish the peas,
Richard, don't cough over the table,
Remember your manners, please.'

'Ah, make way for Father and the Christmas pud,
I hope he hasn't overdone the brandy,
Saints preserve us... Father's on fire..! !
Oh, well smothered dear, three cheers for Mandy,
Hip, hip, hooray,
Hip, hip, hooray,
Hip, hip, hooray.'

'No, Louise, you can't pull the crackers yet,
We're saving those for tea,
Richard, take that stupid tinsel off your head,
And put it back on the tree.'

'Everyone go in the other room and play games,
Just leave all the dishes to me,
I'll do the washing and drying up,
While I'm sorting out something for tea.'

'Richard please don't tease the dog,
Claire don't pin that tail on the cats,
Lloyd, play nicely, stop fighting with Louise,
You're ruckling up all of the mats.'

'Hmmmnn … not quite enough sherry in this trifle,
Hick … I think there's probably more in me,
I'm sure I've been working far too hard,
Hick … I'm feeling quite dizzy.'

'They say that Christmas comes but once a year
And aren't I just glad that's so,
It's nice to see all of them for a while,
But it's even better to see them go …'