‘Twas the night before Christmas inside the pool house,
No pool pump whirring, I was starting to drowse.
The cover was fitted on the pool with great care,
As Hastings Technicians did year after year.

Hastings had done preventative maintenance to date,
So the pool owners knew that the chemistry was great.
My partner with test kit, and I with my skimmer,
were ready for anything – tho not for these swimmers!

See, out by the pool there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the pool house to see what was the matter.
When what to my wondering eyes did appear,
but a snow-covered sleigh and eight pool-loving reindeer.

The driver, I thought, must be in the wrong spot,
As there was no chimney, and the pool was not hot.
With his red coat and toys, he was a jolly old elf,
I knew that this must be old Santa himself.

As the reindeer tried for a winter night swim,
Santa whistled, and shouted, and called them by name:
“Stop, Dasher! No, Dancer! Hear me, Prancer and Vixen!
Nay, Comet! Stay, Cupid! Cease, Donner and Blitzen!

Get away from the pool, there’s no time for a swim!
The heater’s not working, and our time is quite slim!”
With much reluctance, the reindeer withdrew,
Their Christmas bells jingling and shining like dew.

With his sleigh full of toys, Santa made them a promise,
That come Christmas day, they could swim all they wanted.
Santa turned to me then, and asked about pools,
Knowing Hastings was the best with aquatic tools.

I paused for a moment to consider his quest,
Then told him advice that I thought would work best.
The reindeer seemed pleased and pranced on each hoof,
Ready to launch towards the next household roof.

Santa breathed deeply a sigh of relief,
He’d succeeded in stopping the reindeer’s mischief.
He turned to us both and knew we were not fooled,
Knowing no harm was done to reindeer overruled

He said, “I can’t blame them; your pools are well kept.
Your preventative maintenance is really the best
But to swim, it’s to the warm regions we go.
The reindeer can’t use this pool in the snow.”

So with a quick nod, Santa returned to his sled,
And smiled cheerily at us with a tilt of his head.
The reindeer were ready to spread Christmas joy,
And deliver pool toys to each girl and each boy.

Santa whistled loudly, and his sleigh took flight,
As our Christmas surprise took off in the night.
We never thought Santa would visit our pool,
But we have to admit, it was pretty cool.

On this Christmas Eve, as he flew out of sight,
He shouted, “Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night.”

All of us at Hastings Water Works wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Our humorous Christmas pool story was derived from this classic poem by Clement Clarke Moore , “A Visit from St. Nicholas