A poem inspired by our guests enjoying the Christmas holiday at Abalone Bay and Clement Clarke Moore’s seasonal favorite, “The Night Before Christmas.” Editorial liberty taken with the help of ChatGpt.

‘Twas the eve before Christmas, at Abalone Bay,
With my family gathered, hearts light and gay.
My wife, our daughter, her husband, and kin,
On our Sea Ranch vacation where memories begin.
Christmas Tree Adorned
The tree stood adorned, a beacon so bright,
Reflecting the warmth in the soft candlelight.
The waves whispered tales, the ocean’s soft hum,
Enjoying the season where festivities come.

Coastal Holiday
The children’s laughter, the dogs at their play,
A family united, in a coastal holiday.
Generations entwined, creating memories so grand,
In this haven by the sea, where the waves gently stand.

No Worries
The power briefly faltered, a momentary surprise,
But the house generator roared to life, under moonlit skies.
Candles aglow, and the fireplace ablaze,
No outage could hinder the joyous maze.

Décor Momentos
Electricity danced on, a steady, unwavering stream,
As the generator hummed, a Christmas Eve dream.
Casting its glow on ornaments, so vivid and bright,
Ensuring the magic continued through the night.

Entertainment Galore
Delighted with Bowl games, my heart in full view,
A coastal Christmas, a spectacle so true.
The children, eyes wide, by the fire’s soft embrace,
Creating memories, in this enchanting space.

Natural Tranquility
Outside, the waves whispered a lullaby sweet,
A harmony of nature, a soulful retreat.
The moon on the waves, a lustrous glow,
Enhancing the beauty of the sea below.

Magical Cheer
Then, a sight to behold, a magical cheer,
St. Nick and his reindeer, drawing near.
With a wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
He left gifts for all, a moment well-led.

Beyond Compare
As St. Nick vanished, up the chimney he rose,
My family, in awe, their excitement froze.
He spoke not a word, but joy filled the air,
A Christmas vacation beyond compare.

Sea Ranch Christmas
So in Abalone Bay by the quiet and grand,
With my family, we reveled, hand in hand.
The echoes of laughter and waves on the bay,
A Sea Ranch Christmas vacation, forever to stay.

An Afteword About ChatGPT-AI
My thanks to our Guests staying at Sea Ranch Abalone Bay for sharing their photo of presents under the Christmas tree and their “stockings hung with care.” It was that photo that served as the inspiration to write intertextually a Sea Ranch Abalone Bay version of the famous poem by Clement Clarke Moore, “The Night Before Christmas.”
Moore’s beloved poem was first published in 1823 and has been a favorite read-a-loud for generations at Christmas time. My version of it was generated with the assistance of ChatGPT (OpenAI, Dec 23, 2023) with edits to improve it by myself, Donna Martinez. When my husband, Jorge saw I was having such fun playing with this new tool he too joined in on the fun adding his edits to improve both mine and ChatGPT as well.
AI Generated Photo
The photo of Santa in his sleigh was also generated using the Dalle-2 Open AI using text prompts
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