le temps des fêtes (haibun)

The week before Christmas was a busy time in la famille Lafleuré.  Baking of tourtières with veal and moose, maple syrup doughnuts, apple pies, sugar and pecan pies.  Pheasants were killed and cleaned for Christmas dinner.  Grandmère Lafleur was busy making toffee candy for the children Christmas Eve when they would sit around the decorated tree telling stories of Noël long ago.

Children were excited and cleaning their rooms including under the bed since they were told le Père Noël did a survey in all childrens’ bedrooms to ensure they did all their chores.

Papa Lafleur had finished cleaning  the fireplace and Christmas Eve afternoon, he went up on the roof of the house while the children were skating on the pond.  They loved watching their father clean the chimney singing old ballads from long ago.  Before coming down, he tied a long red velvet ribbon around the chimney.  Tonight was the night Santa would visit from the north Pole.

C’est le temps des fêtes
les enfants crient de joie
l’arrivé du Père Noël

©Tournesol ’15

Carpe Diem Haiku Kai