A Soldier's Night Before Christmas Poem by Jon M. Nelson

'Twas the night before Christmas and all through the camp,
The soldiers had changed out of clothes that were damp.
Our weapons were slung and held at the ready,
Although it was Christmas we still stood rock steady.

The soldiers were tired and laid in our racks,
It was a long day and it was time to hit the sacks.
The Chaplain had just given the evening prayer,
And it was time to doze off without a care.

When outside the tent something had exploded,
And we all jumped up and we locked and loaded.
Away to the door we had moved with haste,
Wondering what type of enemy we faced.

The moon shined so bright it gave us a clear sight,
Of what kind of horror we would face that night.
As we looked closer we saw out on the ground,
Exactly what it was that made that huge sound.

It wasn't a bomb that was dropped down from above,
It was a care package delivered with love.
The crate had broke open when it hit the sand,
Everyone gathered around to lend a helping hand.

There were cards, and cookies, and movies of all sorts,
We had sporting equipment for those who loved sports.
Now we had games to play, there were gifts for us all,
But as we looked, something made everyone stall.

The children outside of the fence were all crying,
And the way they looked, most of them were dying.
Without saying a word we all did decide,
To pass these gifts to the children freezing outside.

They knew not of Christmas or receiving toys,
So this was a first for these girls and boys.
As we handed them gifts and food for them to eat,
We knew they were thankful for giving them the treats.

As I watched them eat I knew it wasn't enough,
So I started looking through some of my own stuff.
I found some candy and snacks not yet open,
And I could always get more of some notepads and pens.

It was not very much but I gave what I could,
And the looks on their faces made me feel good.
The other soldiers soon followed my lead,
And this Christmas was one they'd remember indeed.