[Alexandria Radio Club Reflector] the Night Before Christmas

[ka4gfy at cox.net]

This was originally written by several ARC members many years ago and first appeared in the December 1987 edition of "Autocall," a ham radio magazine in the Washington, DC that is no longer in print.  It was later published in the December 2002 edition of "ARC Shorts."

Some of the club members mentioned have moved on and some are now silent keys.  There are many ham radio variations of "The Night Before Christmas, " but I still get a chuckle out of this one.  

73,
Rich, KA4GFY


The Night Before Christmas

'Twas the night before Christmas and all through the shack, 
Not a sound was heard, not even an "aaaaacccccck".

The club members were nestled all snug in their shacks, 
With visions of handheld charging in racks.

The catalogs were hung by the chimney with care,
With hopes the new radio would soon be there.

Out came the keyer, and out came the mic,
To work the DX so late that at night.

When up on the roof, there arose such a clatter,
I thought my tri-bander had come down with a splatter.

>From out of my chair I sprang with a flash,
To see what it would cost me, in cold hard cash.

The moon on the tower and the new fallen snow, 
Gave a luster of daylight to the objects below.

When what to my wondering eyes did appear?
But eight tiny (?) ARC members with pizza and beer.

And the jolly man with the key, so often evident, 
I knew in an instant it must be our club president.

More rapid than Morse Code his QSOs they came,
And he whistled and shouted, and called them by name:

Now Harry! Now Chuck! Now Frank and Gordon!
On Rich! On Rick, On Cab and Dan!

They had a good plan and went straight to work,
Building a new station without even a quirk.

When they finished the job, and as they disappeared from sight,
And I heard them exclaim, "MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL,
                             AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT!!"