‘Twas the holiday and in Freedom land
Staff were preparing and had things well in hand.
Plans we had made were now coming to fruition
And we are on our way to launching a new vision.
All staff were embracing the new Freedom structure
And focus was placed on our members and culture.
While me in my office creatively planning
Had piles of data I was intently scanning.
When outside my office there arose such a sound,
I went from my chair to the lobby in a single bound.
There I stood as staff climbed on desks and on shelves
Trying to escape a rampaging pack of zombie elves.
The lights in the lobby and those on the tree
Glowed red in their eyes as they turned towards me.
Then what, in amazement, should suddenly appear
But a tank-like sleigh with armor clad reindeer.
With a little old man dressed in red riot gear
Telling me to be calm and that I had nothing to fear.
In the blink of an eye I boarded his sled
And he told me these elves were not the undead.
“They unwittingly drank a bad batch of eggnog
That was made with water from a contaminated bog.”
“I just need some help to give them the cure
that will turn them back into elves that are pure.”
As I heard his plea, I knew what had to be done
I grabbed my disaster call list, to a phone I did run.
Regardless how crazy and completely bizarre
I called out to staff that were both near and so far.
In a twinkling they came, every employee we had
To help dear old Santa and turn the situation from bad.
Santa passed out some tinsel, that magical string,
And he told us to surround the elves forming a ring.
We ran round and round wrapping them in a tinsel cocoon
Then Santa swooped in singing a jolly Christmas tune.
His eyes started twinkling, his laugh grew quite merry
As he pulled out a gun that shot holly and cranberry.
He blasted the elves with the holiday cure
And threw in some magic dust just to be sure.
“You’ve saved us!” the elves shouted as they woke from their stupor
“You folks here at Freedom are really quite super!”
“Now we can get back to the workshop and to the toys
Making sure we can serve all the good girls and boys.”
Just at that moment my eyes opened wide
And I went to an office and begged Santa come inside.
I said, “You know dear St. Nick, speaking of service,
I think we can help and with a good deal more purpose.”
“I assume”, I went on, “that with the elves on their tirade
No work had been done so they could not have been paid.”
“We have programs and products designed just for this
And if your elves were all members it would ensure holiday bliss.”
I told Santa about the credit union and our philosophy
And he was most appreciative of our help and generosity.
So we signed everyone up, a total of well over twenty,
Then there was dancing and singing with laughter a plenty.
The elves were ecstatic, happy and carefree
And even Santa opened up a brand new CD.
Santa and the elves piled into the sleigh
But there was one more thing that he had to say.
“What really impresses and holds Freedom in favor
Is you treated my elves with kindness, even after their behavior.”
“You made us feel special when most folks would have run
You didn’t hold a grudge, but focused on what could be done.”
He thanked everyone and as his sleigh took flight
and shouted these words into the starry night.
“You gave us an experience we’ll always remember
One that will last long after this and every other December.”
Then we heard him exclaim, as he flew out of sight,
“Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night.”
