Twas the Night Before Christmas (at X Marks the Scot)

[Panache]

'Twas the night before Christmas at X Marks the Scot
Not an X Marker was posting, not even a jot;

Their kilts were hung in the closet with care,
In hopes that they would be shown off later with flair;

The kilties were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of new sporrans danced in their heads;

Mike1 had taken off his moderator cap, settling down for the night
He turned off his computer and turned off the light.

When from his computer desk arose a loud beep
He sprang from the bed to see what disturbed his sleep.

Away to the computer he ran like a gnu,
Turned on the monitor and the cpu.

The light reflected from the monitor filled the room.
And gave the brightness of the full moon.

When, to Mike1’s wondering eyes should appear,
But a dozens of new posts, bidding good cheer

With numerous X Markers filling up the forum,
Showing respect and unusual decorum.

More rapid than weasels came threads anew,
Mike noted each quickly as they popped into view.

"Here’s Rex, and Pour1Malt, here’s Robin and Panache.
Look one from Hamish, and Derek”, the threads continued in a flash

“Here’s Dee, and Rob, Todd, David, Colin, Nelson and Rufus too!”
The threads kept appearing out of the blue

As a hurricane might blow newspapers by,
Futilely one might try to read them as they mount to the sky.

So the forum filled with hundreds of threads
Written by hundreds of X Markers who should have been in their beds.

Mike1 read faster and faster, looking for proof
That this was somehow, someway a software goof

Hearing a noise he turned around
To see highlandtide was the cause of the sound.

He was dressed all in tartan, from his head to his feet,
wearing his kilt proudly , trim and neat;

“Those messages are all of friendship and cheer
The whole forum always feels it this time of year”

Hank held up a quaich and said ”good health to you
and all the members of X Marks the whole year through”

highlandtide paused and said “Oh, one thing I forgot
You have a bit of work to do, actually quite a lot”

A bundle of software upgrades he had attached to his belt,
He tossed them at Mike1 who stared at the Celt

Hank’s eyes how they sparkled, his evil laughter how scary!
His cheeks were flushed with whiskey, his smile was quite eerie!

He pointed to the upgrades and hysterically cackled
“Till this is completed, to your computer you’re shackled”

Then like Marley’s ghost, bound with heavy chain
Mike1 was locked to his server main

As highlandtide glided away
Mike1 screamed “NO PLEASE DON’T MAKE ME STAY!”

Mike1 awoke with a start and his head on his keyboard
He cried “It was but a dream, thank the Lord!”

But as in the dream, X Marks the Scot was filled with new posts,
All sending good wishes and cheerful toasts

Mike1 wrote a single response before he shut off the light
"Happy Holidays good people of X Marks the Scot and to all a Good Night "

With apologies to Clement C. Moore