‘Twas The Night Before Ghoulion

Written on December 19, 2025

This is a parody for a group of friends in the Tiles Survive! game.

‘Twas the night before Ghoulion, when all through the map
Not a settlement was stirring, in alliance or state chat
The rallies were hung by the chimney with care
In hopes that stronger marches soon would be there

The R3 were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of promotion danced in their heads
The R4 in their kerchiefs, and I in my cap,
Had just settled our brains for a weekend VS nap

When on the wilderness map, there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from my barricade to see what was the matter
Away to map bookmarks I flew like a flash,
Zoomed out from the detail, and scanned in a dash

The glow of power plants with their blue or gray hue
Hummed on in the night while the resources grew
When what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer

With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St. N3ck Nick
More rapid than gold eggs, his coursers they came,
And he gifted, heart emoji-ed, and called them by name:

Now, Maddie! now, Sarge! Now, Lucky and Ghost!
On, Freja, Chef and Rusty! Or the heroes you like most!
To the top of the rankings! To the top of the power!
Grow strong every minute! Grow strong every hour!

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on my phone
The Discord alerts wouldn’t leave me alone
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;
A bundle of hero gear he had flung on his back,
And he looked like purple Travis just opening his pack.

His eyes — how they twinkled! He barely seemed nervous,
Except he kept saying that he’d forgotten his thermos!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow.

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old chap,
And I laughed when I saw him, as I donated my traps;
A wink of his eye and soft-spoken “Sup!”
Soon had me responding with an emoji thumbs up

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
Left many intel crates; then turned with a jerk,
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, to all in the state,
“Happy Christmas to all, You’re all doing great!”