'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the ballroom...

'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the ballroom

Not a customer was stirring, not even a Platinum.

The stockings were hung by the Front Desk with care,

In hopes that 2021 soon would be there;

The planners were nestled all snug in their beds;

While visions of site visits danced in their heads;

The banquet staff in their homes, and I with my Boo

Had just settled down for a long 4th Quarter snooze.

When out on the golf course there arose such a clatter,

I sprang from my desk to see what was the matter.

Away to the Clubhouse I flew like a flash,

Tore open the windows and threw up the sash.

The moon on the fairway of the new-fallen snow,

Gave a lustre of midday to objects below

When what did my wondering eyes see as facts,

But a miniature golf cart and eight new signed contracts!

With a little old driver so lively and quick,

I knew in a moment he must be St. Nick.

More rapid than eagles these new bookings they came,

And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name:

Now Sports Teams! Now Finance! Now Incentives! Now Pharma!

Up Room Rates, Up Occupancy, Up Profit, Up Karma!

To the top of the roof! To the top of the wall!

Now dash to Ross Bridge! Dash away all!"

As leaves that before the Alabama tornadoes fly,

When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky;

So up to the Castle these contracts they flew

With the sleigh full of Event Orders, and St. Nicholas too—

And then, in a twinkling, I saw without flaws

The initials and agreement of each little clause.

As I drew in my head, and was turning around,

Down the banquet hallway St. Nick came with a bound.

He was dressed all in black, ready to help people meet

And his clothes were all sanitized from his head to his feet

A bundle of new meetings he had flung at the resort,

No Force Majeure…no Covid…could thwart!

His eyes—how they twinkled! His dimples, how merry!

His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!

His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,

And the beard on his chin was as white as the snow;

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,

I knew our No Smoking would cause him some grief.

He had a broad face and hands in his mitts

He’d prepped a group breakfast and was covered with grits

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old Server,

And I laughed when I saw him, with such grateful fervor

A wink of his eye and a stack of EO’s

Soon led me to see there’d be no 1st Quarter doze;

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,

And filled all our occupancy; then turned with a jerk,

And laying his finger aside of his nose,

And giving a nod, up the service elevator he rose;

He sprang to his cart, to his team gave a Yee Haw!

And away they all flew, as I stood there in awe.

But I heard him exclaim, as his cart he did steer

“Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good year!”

Here's to a better 2021, y'all! And co-author/idea originator credits to my friend, Carlin Putman! My creative well was dry until you prodded me by starting this!