David Canton – for the London Free Press – December 24, 2005

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‘T was the night before Christmas, when all through the nation
Last-minute shoppers were growing in frustration
Mall shoppers were choosing CDs with great care
In the hopes the Sony “rootkit” would not be there.

W ith XBox 360 in limited supply
Even though many wanted to buy
And iPods and camera phones in much demand
Gift-givers had to line up, cash in hand.

Then outside the mall there arose such a sound
All ran to the windows to see what was around
A gasp of shock and a flash of red
Then eight flying reindeer pulling a sled.

This sight, to be frank, it did give one pause
All thought, “Is it possible? Could it be Santa Claus?”
The sleigh moved swiftly through the sky
Then suddenly the red-clad man did cry:

“Now EBay, now newegg, now Amazon
These websites are where I get my shopping done
Buying from them is such a treat
Not even my very own elves can compete.”

As the sleigh descended, landing in the lot
Rudolph and team set down in a busy spot
But none of those present was upset one whit
Once learning the jolly old elf was legit.

He brought an XBox 360 for under the tree
Accompanied by Mega Bloks, thanks to the SCC
An iMac, an iPod and that elusive DVD
A VoIP phone to call long distance for free.

“I’ve been looking everywhere for that offbeat movie!”
Cried one of the enraptured shoppers with glee.
Santa winked and said, “I know the wishes of all.
And not just because I can monitor every phone call”

The crowd was surprised by this tech-savvy St. Nick,
To see him type speedily on his Blackberry, so quick!
And so knowledgeable about protecting personal information.
“The confidentiality of my ‘Naughty or Nice’ list is my obligation.”

“Now be sure,” Santa said, “That no errant receipts
Will fall into the hands of an identity thief
And also ensure, when shopping online
That you use secured websites each and every time”

Then, with a snap of the reins, the reindeer prepared for flight
And quickly they carried Santa into the night.
But before the sleigh disappeared, the crowd hear Santa cheer
“Merry Christmas to all, see you next year!”