Kevin Anderson/Journal-World Photo Cooper Keefer, 3, Lawrence, chats with Santa. The holiday season was officially kicked-off Friday night as the Christmas lights along Mass Street were switched on.

Last week we asked for your best holiday haikus and the response was remarkable. Thanks and happy holidays from the Pulse and lawrence.com staff.

Pear-shaped Santa Claus

soaks ginger cookie in milk

chimney power food

— Kiesa Kay, KU alumna, ’85 and ’89

Builders need tax breaks

While two hundred school children are

Homeless at Christmas.

— Nancy Hubble, Lawrence

Rachel Seymour/Journal-World Photo The dreidel is a top-spinning game that is traditinally played in the Jewish culture. Dreidels come in different sizes, and can be simply or decorative.

Hanukkah dreidl

Spinning round for all to see

In candle’s glowing

— Katherine Kline Berkowitz, Lawrence

Pure north wind blows still

Three sage Pine trees lay sideways

Dappled Turtle Doves

— Christina Turner

Winter Solstice bliss

Say farewell — a final kiss

Stark lunar eclipse

— Ronda Miller, Lawrence

Sleepy this cold night

I take my dog for long walk

to the moon and back

— Brian Daldorph, Lawrence

Kevin Anderson/Journal-World Photo Cooper Keefer, 3, Lawrence, chats with Santa. The holiday season was officially kicked-off Friday night as the Christmas lights along Mass Street were switched on.

Excited children,

A jolly man dressed in red —

Dreams to be fulfilled.

— Jane Tedder, Lawrence

Holiday music

Frank, Bing, Nat, Vince, and Elvis

Phil Spector in jail.

— Nick Schmiedeler

Give me mistletoe

To hang in hope of a kiss

Or hope of a smile.

— Tom Mach, Lawrence

Frozen ice of grass

I should have worn my tall boots

sounds like Rice Krispies

— Randy Warren, Lawrence

Santa came early

and left a really great gift

his name is Selby.

— Harold Riehm, Lawrence

Santa Claus came down

And landed right on my cat               

Now he’s Santa Clawed

— Donna Riehm, Lawrence

Snowflakes twirling down

like frosty fragments of lace;

fleeting ornaments.

— Shauna Moore, Lawrence

Been shoppin’ all day

The line has moved not an inch

I feel like a grinch!

— Barbara Braa, Eudora

Joyful hearts singing

Basking in our moonlit love

Blessings of Christmas.

— Karen Healy

Frosty finger tips

Chattering teeth, frozen breath,

Lovely winter walk.

— Lucy Daldorph

Reindeer on the roof

An ornament on the tree

A hat on Frosty.

— Anina Supernaw, 10

Blue sky, white hot sun

Flamboyant’s blooms burn crimson

A letchi, delicate rose, bursts

— Brenna Daldorph, 2010 KU graduate

Eggnog is nasty

So are all the other nogs

This Christmas, nogless

— Goldie Schmiedeler, 11

Let Kansas’ stocking

be filled with wealth, peace, and health

but no Holcomb coal.

— Richard Kay, Lawrence

Santa and presents

We wait for Christmas to come

How much time is left?

— Tiffany and Jack Rea, ages 9 and 8, Lawrence

Ebeneezer Scrooge

A dark gravestone with your name

Celebrate the Light!

— Raymond Finch, Lawrence

New cat with kittens

the barn owls shadow decends

one less mouth to feed

— Randy Warren, Lawrence

CEOs fret as

Budget-restricted shoppers

Limit their spending.

— Jane Tedder, Lawrence

Angels sang glory

Who but love would choose to come

Wonderful His birth!

— Mary Ellen Wentz, Lawrence

Hey, what’s on my roof?

You, Fat Man in red, list’n up,

Get those reindeer down!

–Mary Jorn, Lawrence, Kansas

Children’s eyes look up

in hopes of fulfilled wishes

anticipation

— Bootsie Lauridsen, Baldwin City

Count down with the moon:

our long dark night is ending!

rise and shine, New Year.

— Heather Taylor, Lawrence

Santa Claus, you’ve changed

Internet, but no reindeer

We miss your ho-hos.

— Tom Mach, Lawrence

Santa, bring left wings

for my Republican birds

all they have are right ones.

— Harold Riehm, Lawrence

So many changes.

What will always be the same:

The answer is Love.

— Judy Grant, Lawrence

Under winter stars

Brook Creek Park picnic shelter —

no one picnicking

— Brian Daldorph, Lawrence

Mailman merrily

lifts his axe to fir tree’s trunk

stars glitter on snow

— Kiesa Kay, KU alumna, ’85 and ’89

This sweet Christmas Earth!

All animals. Every plant.

Our unopened gift.

— Nancy Hubble

When will wise men come

from the East to unite us

with the gift of peace?

— Richard Kay, Lawrence

Thanks to you Santa

just found you had in your pack

a new quarterback.

— Harold Riehm, Lawrence

On Christmas morning

Streets are empty, forgotten

But warmth in each home

— Lucy Daldorph

A winter solstice

as I build a large bonfire

to bring back the light

— Randy Warren, Lawrence