Animals At Christmas Read online

The Little Brown Box

  There once was a little white cat.

  She loved Christmas, there’s No question bout’ that.

  She liked very much her tall Christmas tree

  With presents as far as the eye could see.

  She loved all her gifts sitting neat in a row.

  She loved all her gifts topped with a colorful bow.

  Reds, Greens and purples, Silvers and Gold

  Wrapped up the boxes with paper so bold.

  The white cat named Minnie looked on in awe

  At all of the boxes and bags that she saw.

  But was Minnie happy? No not one bit,

  Because only one present is all she will get.

  The big red and green one belonged to her sissy,

  A black and white kitten that’s called Sissy Missy.

  The one next to that with the sparkly blue bow

  Belonged to her brother, a Tom Cat named Joe.

  The biggest was for a brown and white tabby.

  A red box for Mistsi, a gold one for Abby.

  And there at the end sitting rather quite small

  Was a little brown package with no bow at all.

  This made Minnie weep, this made Minnie cry

  To see her one present sitting awry.

  She mewed to her mother who straightened it thrice

  But no matter what it just wouldn’t stay nice.

  Minnie felt jealous as she licked her fur.

  She wanted all of the boxes to be for her.

  She did not want to share, she wanted them all,

  Those that were tall and those that were small.

  She wanted them wrapped up with colorful bows,

  Ones that sat neat a perfect in rows.

  She wanted anything but her boring box,

  Be it Abby’s or Mitsi’s or Missy’s or Jock’s.

  Late Christmas Eve she was tucked into bed.

  She mewed to her mother and then she said,

  “Why can’t I have a pretty red box?

  One that is filled with dollies or blocks?

  Mine doesn’t sparkle or shimmer or shine,

  It’s brown and dull and not at all fine.”

  Her mother just smiled a wide toothy grin

  As she finished tucking her sweet kitten in.

  “Don’t judge by colors or big fancy bows,”

  Mother cat said as she scratched at her nose.

  “It doesn’t matter the size of the bows

  Because what’s inside nobody knows.”

  She patted her little white kitten’s head

  Then left her alone to sleep in her bed.

  Minnie woke Christmas Morn nice and early

  And sat between Sam and little brown Shirley.

  She sat up straight and patiently waited

  For the little plain brown gift she was fated.

  She watched as her brothers and sisters got toys

  That walked and talked and made lots of noise.

  Last but not least to her box she did scurry

  And ripped off the brown paper all in a hurry.

  Inside sat a boring little white case

  So small that it made Minnie blush in disgrace.

  She took her two paws and removed the top

  And what was inside did make her hop.

  Oh yes she did hop.

  Hop! Hop! Hop! Hop!

  Inside was a beautiful shiny gold locket

  With a delicate chain and red gem in the socket.

  The beautiful gift filled the kitten with glee

  As she hopped round the room laughing he, he, he, he.

  Her mother was right! Her mother was right

  For all of the words she told her last night.

  It doesn’t matter the size of the bows

  Because what’s inside nobody knows.

  Her box was blain and boring and small

  But inside was the shiniest gift of them all.

  A Very Puppy Christmas

  A hyper tan puppy bounced on his bed

  No visions of sugarplums danced in his head

  Instead he saw toys all shiny and new.

  Soft rubber bones that were ready to chew.

  A little red car to chase to and fro.

  A green tennis ball for his child to throw.

  This pup couldn’t wait for the sun to arise.

  To wake Christmas Morning and open his eyes.

  To wake up his child with a lick to the face.

  To sprint down the stairs like he’s running a race.

  To sit front the tree and look on with awe.

  To rip way the wrappings with one puppy paw.

  No, Sammy could not wait for Christmas Day.

  He could not sleep, he wanted to play.

  He jumped and he bounced and made a commotion.

  He chased his tail in a circular motion.

  He spun and he spun and he spun and he fell

  Off of the bed and then he did yell.

  He whimpered and whined and just plain felt bad.

  His head was in pain and this made him sad.

  Two hands wrapped gently around his gut

  And sat him back upright down on his but.

  “Calm down Sammy,” said his child so sweetly.

  He pulled up the blankets and tucked him in neatly.

  But Sammy still did not want to sleep,

  He wanted to jump, he wanted to leap.

  He wanted to bounce and to run and to play.

  No, Sammy just could not wait for the day.

  His child laid side him petting his head

  With both of them snuggled up warm in their bed.

  Cozy and warm with two drooping eyes

  The pup dreamed of running and chasing and pies.

  He dreamed and he dreamed with all four paws kicking

  Of munching and chomping and chewing and kicking.

  Before he knew it Christmas had come.

  He jumped from his bed and started to run

  Down the stairs with his pup heart a racing

  Down to the tree where he walked around pacing.

  For all of his family to start to arise

  And look neath the tree for their wondrous surprise.

  The one near the front said to Sammy with love.

  Inside sat a little white squeaky toy glove.

  Chew toys and treats and ducks that made noise

  Plus all of his little boy’s new shiny toys.

  And so Sammy learned a good lesson that day.

  You can’t always jump and you can’t always play

  Sometimes you must sleep and you must wait

  For tomorrow will come and it will be great.

  The Hoppy Christmas Bunny

  Hopping and hopping and hopping along

  Went a little brown bunny while humming a song.

  She hummed and she hummed and she hummed a great tune

  That sang of Christmas. It was coming quite soon.

  She hopped past a kitten and she hopped past a mouse

  On the way to her little old Granny-Bun’s house.

  She hopped through the door and took a deep sniff.

  Of sweet carrot cookies did she get a whiff.

  Her grannie came hopping with one plate of treats,

  Breads pies and cookies were all hers to eat.

  Packed up in packages, boxes, and bags

  Dolled up with beautiful ribbons and tags.

  She put all the treats in a nice Christmas sack

  Which she tied round her shoulders and hung down her back.

  “There’s one treat for you and for each of your pals,

  Some for the lads and some for the gals.”

  Said her Granny-Bun with a grin filled with love<
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  As she kissed on her cheek that was soft as a dove.

  The little brown bunny left grannie’s house quick.

  She hopped through the forest and kicked a big stick.

  She hopped to the playground and then she did drag

  Behind the slide her gran’s goodie bag.

  All of her gran’s goodies bags did she tear.

  The truth was that she did not want to share.

  She would not give one to Billy the bear,

  To Barry the badger, to Hannah the hare.

  She opened a bag with a small cherry pie.

  She took a deep sniff then gave it a try.

  Next was a cake topped with sprinkles and nuts

  Four Christmas cookies and a dozen donuts.

  A bag of hard candy, a large lollipop,

  She was getting quite full but did not want to stop.

  She did not stop till she emptied each bag.

  She wiped off her lips with her dress like a rag.

  She tried to go home but was too full to hop.

  Try as she might she could only go flop.

  Her tummy felt queasy and hurt rather bad

  From all of the sugar that she had had.

  So she walked home feeling lonely and sick.

  She kicked off both of her shoes with a flick.

  Her mother came over carrying a pie.

  Did Ella smile? No, all she did was cry.

  Her mother came running to comfort her daughter

  She squeezed the girl tightly and asked “what is the matter?”

  “I’m sorry mommy,” little Ella did say

  “I ate all the goodies and now I can’t play.

  I didn’t share. I ate them all.

  Now when I hop all I do is fall.”

  Her mother said through a rather deep frown,

  “You shouldn’t have scarfed all the treats down.

  But do not worry. I am not mad.

  No, I’m actually rather quite glad.

  For my sweet Baby-Bun learned a lesson today.”

  “Your right mumma,” she started to say.

  She should have shared with all of her pals.

  Shared with the lads and shared with the gals.

  Mommy and Ella went inside to bake

  Some cookies and brownies and a big chocolate cake.

  And the next day she hopped back to see all her buddies

  And gave them each a package of goodies.