Twas the night before Christmas
And out in the garage
The XJ was sitting under its cover of gauze.
My wife and I had finished our evening nightcap
And had just settled down for a long winter’s nap.
When out in the yard there arose such a clatter,
I jumped out of bed to see what was the matter!
And what did I see, but a decorated sled
Filled with packages, mostly green and red
And an old elf driver with a long flowing beard
Speaking to his reindeer, he didn’t know I heard
“The sled works quite well in snow and on ice,
But his Arizona mud just isn’t very nice.
This unseasonable rain has left quite a mess
Christmas will be late because we’re stuck, I guess.”
I put on some clothes, (someone might be around)
And walked up to Santa, who was still kicking the ground.
“I think I can help you.” I told the old gent and his deer
“I have an ’82 XJ in the garage over here.”
“You are not kidding?” Said he, with a smile on his face.
“1100 cc’s of style and of grace.
A classic design, if I say so myself.
The designers were inspired in part by an elf.”
We both went to work fitting the bike to the sled.
Soon we were done, Santa stood back and said
“If this work out, it’ll be the ride of my life.
What a story I’ll have to take home to the wife.”
He fired it up, slipped it into first gear
Let out the clutch and he was out of here!
It was quite a sight, that old bike and sled,
Piloted by a rider all dressed in red.
Up to the rooftops that old XJ flew
Pulling the sleigh and St. Nicholas too.
Christmas was saved, and Santa had fun
Taking the XJ out for a run.
And that is my story, and I swear its true,
How my old XJ brought Christmas to you
And if you should doubt it, and think I jest
Listen to Santa as he heads home for a rest.
His last words were, as he rode out of sight
“Merry Christmas to All, and have an XSively good night!”
Jerry Fields
December 2002
And out in the garage
The XJ was sitting under its cover of gauze.
My wife and I had finished our evening nightcap
And had just settled down for a long winter’s nap.
When out in the yard there arose such a clatter,
I jumped out of bed to see what was the matter!
And what did I see, but a decorated sled
Filled with packages, mostly green and red
And an old elf driver with a long flowing beard
Speaking to his reindeer, he didn’t know I heard
“The sled works quite well in snow and on ice,
But his Arizona mud just isn’t very nice.
This unseasonable rain has left quite a mess
Christmas will be late because we’re stuck, I guess.”
I put on some clothes, (someone might be around)
And walked up to Santa, who was still kicking the ground.
“I think I can help you.” I told the old gent and his deer
“I have an ’82 XJ in the garage over here.”
“You are not kidding?” Said he, with a smile on his face.
“1100 cc’s of style and of grace.
A classic design, if I say so myself.
The designers were inspired in part by an elf.”
We both went to work fitting the bike to the sled.
Soon we were done, Santa stood back and said
“If this work out, it’ll be the ride of my life.
What a story I’ll have to take home to the wife.”
He fired it up, slipped it into first gear
Let out the clutch and he was out of here!
It was quite a sight, that old bike and sled,
Piloted by a rider all dressed in red.
Up to the rooftops that old XJ flew
Pulling the sleigh and St. Nicholas too.
Christmas was saved, and Santa had fun
Taking the XJ out for a run.
And that is my story, and I swear its true,
How my old XJ brought Christmas to you
And if you should doubt it, and think I jest
Listen to Santa as he heads home for a rest.
His last words were, as he rode out of sight
“Merry Christmas to All, and have an XSively good night!”
Jerry Fields
December 2002
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