Merry Christmas, Culver City (An Affectionate Holiday Ditty)

It’s dark, it’s chill, we’re wrapped up tight

the shortest days shed little light

But holidays can make us merry

and celebrations make us tarry

to spend a bit more time with cheer

as we look back and feel the year

behind us, melting into past

We look around to what can last;

So Happy Christmas, Culver City,

Ninety-nine and looking pretty

CCPD brings Santa to visit

A photo op just takes a minute

Fox Hills Mall in parking panic

Shoppers rushing, looking manic

the downtown lights in the gentle rain

show everyday beauty in holiday reign

So, Merry Christmas, Mayor Clarke,

Savor a stroll around Vets Park

Council members Jingle Bells –

Jeff Cooper, Meghan Sahli-Wells

and Christmastide is sure to fall

on Joanna Brody and Thomas Small

Göran Eriksson’s adding spice

to a traditional cocktail – Nice!

Scandinavian Glög might be the Toast

for Judy Scott, the party host

Happy Holidays, Susan Obrow

Scheduling our events with know-how

To find the family Christmas feast

Kathy Paspalis has trekked back East

But who can style with holiday flair

Like School Board member Anne Allaire?

A winter break is heaven-sent

For Hector Marin and Kelly Kent

A culmination of great plans

this past year put into the hands

Of Steve and Lisa and all the Levins

JUNO gets her place in the heavens

Hang the holly, Susanne Robins,

mix the punch for all the drop-ins

Schools are out? won’t break the stride

Of Dr. Josh Arnold and #CULVERpride

We hope the year-end is kind and mellow

for Leslie Lockhart and Drew Sotelo

The district and the Ed Foundation

Deserve a down-time celebration

Maren Neufeld, PTA President

Is wrapping gifts and savoring sentiment

Seeing through the holiday haze well

Determined artist Shelly Blaisdell

A break can be a happy scene

for Shelley Wolfberg and Jeremy Green

City Hall is locked, and the coast is clear

(Back to business early next year)

So thank you council, thank you staff

for all you do on our behalf

Holiday fun doesn’t take much tryin’

For Dan and Beverly O’Brien

Quiet city, quiet schools

We’re all off celebrating Yule

Taking the time with kin and kith

Ken and (our favorite) Jozelle Smith

Even Mike Cohen, Mr. Culver City

runs through a silly Christmas ditty

to Screenland 5k Sunday training –

(scheduled when it’s finished raining)

Culver City Crossroads’ attitude

is filled with city-centric gratitude

Thanks to all our readers and writers,

making the city so much brighter

Let’s dance and feast and laugh and sing

While we have time for lingering

and keep the focus on our freedom

Connections? Friends?  We’re gonna need ’em

For now, it’s sweet and fun and light

Merry Happy and Good night!

 

Judith Martin-Straw

(with apologies to Roger Angell of The New Yorker and much love to Janet Hoult)