Jest 'Fore Christmas

Jest 'Fore Christmas
by Eugene Field

I read this poem to my children every year at Christmas time; just as my mother did with me.

This is a fun poem, 'specially fer boys. Helps 'em to mind their P's and Q's and remember not to:

"chawnk green apples..."
"sick" the dog on the cat...
"laff an' holler" at the grocery man...

It also helps them to respectfully regard Gran'ma's dreams that one day
"when I git to be a man,
I'll be a missionarer like her oldest brother, Dan,
As was et up by the cannibals that live in Ceylon's Isle,..."

So that:

"...thinkin' of the things yer'd like to see upon that tree,
Jest 'fore Christmas be as good as yer kin be!"

We also read some out of At Christmastime while baking brownies for our CCD parties today.