One of my favs: The Nite Before Christmas Twas the night before Christmas and all thru the cage not a creature was stirring, not even the ferrets the stockings were hung by the food dish with care in the hopes that Santa Quantas would soon be there the ferrets were all nestled snug in their beds while visions of ferretone danced in there heads mama in her snooze sack and I in my hammock had just settled down for a long winters nap when out off the cage there rose such a clatter I sprang from my hammock to see what was the matter away down the ramp I flew like a flash threw open the door and ran with a dash the moon on a breast of a new fallen snow gave the lustre of midday to the carpet below when what to my wondering eyes should there be but a tiny sleigh and eight reinferrets that I see with a furry driver so lively and astonished I knew in a moment it must be Santa Quantas more rapid than eagles his reinferrets they came he whistled and shouted and called them by name now Baxter, now Kirby, now Elliott and Dodger on Luther, on Angus, on Duncan and Gotter to the top of the tube and down the hall now dash away dash away now dash away all so up to the cage top the reinferrets they flew with a sleigh full of toys and Santa Quantas too and then in the wink of an eye I saw the prancing and dancing of each little paw as I drew in my head and turned around Santa Quantas came down the tube with a bound he was dressed in fur from his paw to his foot fur all tarnished with litter and soot a bundle of toys he had flung on his back he looked like a weasel just opening his pack his eyes how they twinkled his dimples how merry his cheeks were like roses his nose like strawberries his tiny mouth drawn up like a bow and the mitts on his paws were as white as the snow the stump of some red licorice he held in his teeth the aroma of it circling his head like a wreath he had a broad face and a chubby little belly that shook when he chattered like a bowl full of jelly he was chubby and plump a right jolly old ferret that I laughed when I saw him without any merit a wink of his eye and a twist of his head soon gave me to know there was nothing to dread he spoke not a word but went straight to work and filled the stockings and turned with a jerk and laying a paw aside of his nose and giving a nod up the tube he rose he sprang to his sleigh to his reinferrets gave a whistle and away they flew like the down of a thistle but I heard him exclaim as he drove out of sight Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night !!! Patty Asheuer Editor in Chief American Ferret Report [Posted in FML 5817]