Comment from --Turtle.

Excellent

Hi, Craig,

I read through this Dark side of Christmas contest using Satan giving a toast, It's like a stocking full of ugly ornaments pulled one by one for examination as the Devil puts them up on his tree. Some mostly pull twinges of sadness for me, cause they derive from reality and each one carries a heavy weight that are a challenge to make light, though you do have several solid zing lines that do pull at the dark strings of absurdity connected to humor. It's just hard to smile when looking too close to the tsunami of hurt just flooding the world over. A tsunami that starts with one drip from every heart at a time until, yikes. You do a nice job pinpointing these Hellish concepts: selfish irresponsibility, greedy entitlement, callous hate... all the way down to righteous stupidity.

Christmas, and welcome to hell(Hell?)!

the only thing that stops a bad toddler with a gun is a good toddler
(Oh my... that got a twisted chuckle for me, as I've heard the tagline before many a time)

Chet's nuts roasting on an open fire.
(clever play on words with this, good use of dark humor and play on words in a Christmasy flavor)

A challenging endeavor of delving into the dark side that is forgotten about in focusing on engaging in the goodwill of the 'season' while keeping a sardonic smile in the mix.

 Comment Written 25-Dec-2015

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reply by the author on 25-Dec-2015

Thanks for the lovely review, Turtle. Hope you are having a great one! :) Craig

Comment from Linda Kay

Excellent

Love your mix of the dark cynical snarky Satan voice, and the social issues of today with a touch of common sense opinion that is unfortunately too uncommon in these times. Good entry, friend. Merry Christmas!

 Comment Written 24-Dec-2015

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reply by the author on 24-Dec-2015

Merry Christmas to you, Linda! Thanks for the kind words and good wishes. Craig.

Comment from davisr (Rhonda)

Excellent

A very eloquently written poem that grabs a lot of "hot" topics all at once. Rather than the make believe horror story I expected from the title, I was delighted to find a very smart and compassionate story, and one to make us stop and think.

Great job, good luck in the contest, and
Have a very Merry Christmas!

Rhonda

 Comment Written 24-Dec-2015

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reply by the author on 24-Dec-2015

Thanks so much for the lovely comments Rhonda. Merry Christmas to you :)
Craig.

Comment from frogbook

Exceptional

Whoo-hoo, hooray, yippee and other cheers. I loved this. It was a fantastic, original idea for this very fun prompt. I submitted one but didn't make the deadline but, no worries as I have most surely been defeated. This sounds like a winner to me. Loved the humor for a very serious message. A Merry Scary Christmas to you.

 Comment Written 23-Dec-2015

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reply by the author on 23-Dec-2015

Thank you so much for the lovely review, and for the very generous six stars! I'm glad you enjoyed my look at the darker side of Christmas. Have a great one yourself! All the best, Craig.

Comment from Adri7enne

Excellent

"Chet's nuts roasting on an open fire." Ha ha ha!

Yes, it was great fun. Nice allusions to the present situation and the unfortunate refugees. I enjoyed it. Good luck in the contest!

 Comment Written 23-Dec-2015

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reply by the author on 23-Dec-2015

Thank for the kind comments and the good wishes, much appreciated! Craig.

Comment from ~Dovey

Excellent

Hi Craig-

I started to review this earlier today and got distracted. It is just as well, I was having trouble trying to wrap my head around Christmas in Hell lol The picture truly creeped me out!! In your Paul Jervis paragraph, second sentence: I'm surprise (surprised?) That is the only technical aspect I found in need of correction. Anything else I might say is purely subjective. I would say that you've achieved the shock value and incongruity you were in search of with this piece.

Good luck in the contest!!

Kim

 Comment Written 22-Dec-2015

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reply by the author on 22-Dec-2015

Hi Kim,
Thanks for picking up on the typo. Thanks also for finding it incongruous and shocking, those were the sorts of reactions I was hoping for. Your insights are always much appreciated :)
Craig

Comment from ciliverde

Exceptional

Bravo!!! I love this - and I knew I would the minute I saw Satan in his Santa Hat :)
"feasting on mealworms" instead of a Big Mac - Lol. Whoever invented the Big Mac probably went to Hell too.

This just kept getting better and better as I read through it. Ending with
"While these might seem to imply that we should exercise compassion and open our hearts, minds and borders to those fleeing persecution, torture, and intolerant, murderous regimes, we know that such a thing can't possibly work."

My dad was complaining about Middle Eastern immigrants coming to the United States (he's a Tea Party supporter). I said "aren't they refugees?" I actually think he didn't know the difference. I mean, it's not just like these people wake up, yawn and stretch, and say "hey, ya know, I was thinking we might want to move away from Aleppo one of these days".

Thank you!
Carol

 Comment Written 21-Dec-2015

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reply by the author on 22-Dec-2015

Exactly, Carol. "Oh yes, I'm a peasant who's just seen my relatives carted away and executed, and it's probably my turn next. But that's my fault for being born in the wrong country. If I had any brains, I'd have been born in the US, or Britain, or Canada or Australia".

Of course the supreme irony is that in both our countries, all but a tiny portion of the population are descended from people who arrived as as immigrants less than a few centuries ago - presumably because they saw a chance to make a better life for themselves - a privilege we now want to deny others.

Thanks for the lovely review, and the wonderful rating!

Craig

Comment from Spitfire

Excellent

Nothing like tongue and cheek humor to get a point across.
Skillful incorporation of the deeds that landed the dead in Hell.
Chet's nuts roasting on an open fire.-LOL Best line.
A very serious message at the end that hopefully will change people's attitudes.

 Comment Written 21-Dec-2015

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reply by the author on 22-Dec-2015

It's only taken 12 reviews, but finally someone noticed lol

Thanks for picking up the little joke about Chet, and for the very kind review - much appreciated!
Craig

reply by Spitfire on 22-Dec-2015

Reviewers aren't always the sharpest. :-)

Comment from sibhus

Excellent

It seems to have worked out very well, in my opinion. The use of issues of day was an excellent idea. What an interesting way to spend the holiday, feasting with the Devil. Not only is it a musing, but it also gives a moment for thought as to our own thoughts and behaviors. An excellent addition to the contest, and good luck.

 Comment Written 21-Dec-2015

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reply by the author on 21-Dec-2015

Thanks, Sibhus, for the very positive comments, and the good wishes. Both are greatly appreciated!
Craig

Comment from Green Lake Girl

Excellent

Bravo! Each example more hilarious than the previous. My favorite paragraph? "Where's little Tommy Hook?"

I'm so sorry you left out Donald Trump. However, you are Australian and perhaps our prominent and mouthy comb-over doesn't make it to your shores. If you're lucky, that is indeed the case.

Excellently penned. You represented the dark side of Christmas very well!

 Comment Written 21-Dec-2015

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reply by the author on 21-Dec-2015

Oh, you're right - omitting The Don was a glaring oversight :) But then, he probably would have stolen the limelight from Old Nick. Thanks for the complimentary review, much appreciated!
Craig

reply by Green Lake Girl on 21-Dec-2015

I'm laughing out loud. Stealing the limelight from Santa would be a sin of the highest order.