Now, at this parish, there is a custom of doing absolutely no office decorating during the Advent season. With all the "waiting of Advent," it is thought to be wrong to decorate. WE should rather wait until the season of Christmas to be festive.

Our self appointed "Grinchette" (the title she gives herself) makes it a point every season to go through the buildings playfully removing absolutely any decorations. "What? A plain wreath on your office door? Be gone with it!"

Hmmm. Insert melodramatic music here: "I just can’t take it any more. What shall I do? Where shall I go?"

A few days ago, the following poem appeared in our mailboxes, accompanied by purple and blue lights strewn throughout her office. I wonder from where these items came? I am not sure, but I hope they put them back in my office.

Guerilla creativity is the most fun, in my opinion. . .

"Our Grinchette, it appears,
needs a fun lesson, I fear,
from the life of the One Who Comes:

"It is a child, so small
that we should recall
when remembering rules instead."

While rules can be true,
and oft’ needed, too,
our search is for wonder and awe.

When decrees are more "Now!"
and people kowtow
to schedule outside of our Peace,

I think the waiting is fine,
but I’ll not draw their line,
the day to seize now is today!

So, come now the feast!
We can acknowledge at least,
that our God spreads party and cheer.

So, Grinch, I adore ya’
but now, in the foyer,
we should trim the doorway and pane.

Decorate gently,
and so reverently
live the Love Incarnate divine.

So, the wreathe is not sin,
and is joy only known in
the season whose limit is time?

"Darkness in Light!"
Why, this seems all right,
to enjoy in the windows and halls!

For with tinsel and ribbon,
yes, on those I can give in,
but what of the Light we both know?

Perhaps purple or blue,
would these colors do?
I’ve left you a set you can see.

There’s now a set on your shelf
and on that Grinch elf-
he uses the batteries "D!"