No Peanuts For Santa

A few years ago I wrote a Christmas poem for kids with peanut allergy, as I am one of them.  I got a good response so I've decided to illustrate and self-publish.  Three years later and the project still isn't finished but I have sworn to finish it and have it on the market by Christmas, 2012.

T'WAS THE DAY BEFORE CHRISTMAS, 

IT WAS STARTING TO SNOW, 

THE REINDEER WERE HITCHED 

AND ALL READY TO GO. 

THE ELVES WERE STILL PACKING 

THE LAST OF THE GIFTS, 

WHEN SANTA GOT ITCHY 

AND STARTED TO SNIFF. 

HE HAD SPOTS ON HIS TUMMY, 

THE ELVES HEARD HIM WHEEZE. 

MRS. CLAUS CALLED THE MEDICS, 

‘OH DO HURRY, PLEASE!’ 

THE MEDICS ARRIVED 

AND SPRANG INTO ACTION. 

THE DOCTORS DECLARED, 

"THIS IS A REACTION!" 

NOW THINK VERY CAREFULLY, 

WHAT DID YOU MUNCH? 

CAN YOU REMEMBER 

WHAT YOU HAD FOR LUNCH? 

SANTA PONDERED AND SCRATCHED 

AT THE HIVES ON HIS BELLY. 

AND THEN HE REMEMBERED, 

PEANUT BUTTER AND JELLY! 

THEY GAVE SANTA EPI, 

ANTIHISTAMINES TOO, 

AND THEN THEY TOLD SANTA, 

"NO PEANUTS FOR YOU!" 

THE NEWS WAS ANNOUNCED 

BY T.V.AND FAXES, 

THAT SANTA CLAUS SUFFERS 

FROM ANAPHYLAXIS 

THE WORD TRAVELED QUICKLY 

FROM LONDON TO MAINE 

NO ARACHIS! NO GOOBERS! 

AND NO “MAY CONTAINS”. 

PLEASE READ THE LABELS 

ON COOKIES AND SWEETS 

THAT YOU LEAVE FOR OL’ SANTA... 

ONLY PEANUT-FREE TREATS! 

THE REINDEER WERE READY, 

THE SLEIGH WAS ALL PACKED 

AND AROUND SANTA’S BELLY 

WAS A NEW EPI-PACK. 

"HI-HO" SANTA YELLED 

AS THE REINDEER TOOK FLIGHT. 

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL 

AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT! 

Copyright Adele Earnshaw 2007