The Night Before Christmas

(Microsoft Speaking)

Author Unknown


Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house,

Not a creature was stirring, except Papa's mouse.

The computer was humming, the icons were hopping,

As Papa did last-minute internet shopping.

The stockings were hung by the modem with care,

In hopes that St. Nicholas would bring new software.

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,

While visions of computer games danced in their heads.

Dark Forces for Billy, and Doom II for Dan,

And Carmen SanDiego for Pamela Ann.

The letters to Santa had been sent out by Mom,

To santaclaus@toyshop.northpole.com.

Which has now been re-routed to Washington State,

Because Santa's workshop has been bought by Bill Gates.

All the elves and reindeer have had to skedaddle,

To flashy new quarters in suburban Seattle.

After centuries of a life that was simple and spare,

St. Nicholas is suddenly a new billionaire.

With a shiny red Porsche in the place of his sleigh,

And a house on Lake Washington, that's just down the way.

From where Bill has his mansion, the old fellow preens,

In black Gucci boots and red Calvin Klein jeans.

The elves have stock options and desks with a view,

Where they write computer code for Johnny and Sue.

No more dolls or tin soldiers or little toy drums,

Will be under the tree, only compact discs ROMs.

With the Microsoft label, so spin up Drive C:,

From now on, Christmas runs only on Windows XP.

More rapid than eagles, the competitors came,

And Bill whistled, and shouted, and called them by name.

"Now, ADOBE!, now, CLARIS!, now, INTUIT! too,

Now, APPLE!, and NETSCAPE!, you are all through.

It is Microsoft's SANTA that the kids can't resist,

It's the ultimate software, with a traditional twist.

Recommended by no less than the Jolly Old Elf,

And, on the package, a picture of Santa himself.

Get 'em young, keep 'em long, is Microsoft's scheme,

And a merger with Santa, is a marketer's dream.

To the top of the NASDAQ!, To the top of the DOW!,

Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away -- WOW !"

And Mama in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap,

Had just settled down for a long winter's nap,

When out on the lawn, there arose such a clatter,

The whir and the hum of our satellite platter,

As it turned toward that new Christmas star in the sky,

The SANTALITE owned by the Microsoft guy.

As I sprang from my bed, and was turning around,

My computer turned on with a Jingle-Bells sound.

And there on the screen was a smiling Bill Gates,

Next to jolly old Santa, two arm-in-arm mates.

And I heard them exclaim, in voices so bright,

"HAVE A MICROSOFT CHRISTMAS, AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT."

Forget It Santa . . . We're Going Back Home Where It's Warm !!!

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