Gift Rhymes – 24 December (2019 Re-post)

www.Pixel.la Free Stock Photos [CC0]

---

In Sweden we have this tradition of writing rhymes that hint at what your Christmas presents contains. We celebrate on Christmas Eve.
The day starts with what my children call Santa porridge (Swedish rice pudding). The adults try to prep for the feast while the kids wait for presents. Many sit down at three o’clock to watch a traditional Disney medley on telly. Then go on to have the biggest dinner of the year – Julbord.

When dinner is cleared away, it’s time for the gifts under the three, or maybe delivered by the neighbor dressed as Santa. Many families have a tradition of everyone sitting around opening one gift at a time, round and round, until all gifts are opened. The gift rhymes are for many part of this tradition.

---

photochem_PA from State College, PA, USA [CC BY 2.0]

---

This gift might rattle
Many sided polyhedrons for battle
Land to farm for food
Markets for the shrewd
Mountains to mine for ore
Magic forests to explore
Trough the rules will be unfurled
How to be the ruler of this world

---

This is for thee
Found under the tree
A set of three

One handy in size for notable everyday moments
One sultry black for noting those black torments
One ruby red for novellas in your sensual parlance

All year round I wish thee well
Blank lines for my hearts mademoiselle
Empty pages for your muse to indwell

---

No, I’m sorry to say
I don’t carry cash today

But, wait. Don’t go…
I have this bag of clothes for goodwill today
You can have first pick
What do you say?

Yes, I know this leads to stares
We remind all these commuters here today
The holidays are for sharing good fortunes
At least, that’s what we all say

© REDCAT

---

Written for the last prompt of the year at dVerse ~ Meet the bar with gift rhymes, where Björn shared this Swedish tradition. As guessing are part of it I haven’t told you what my two first presents contain. Can you guess?

I will however tell you that the last rhyme is a scene from real life.

---

Library of Congress [Public domain]