Nuts

I am nine sitting by the
Christmas tree on the
Floor amid wrapping paper
All my presents opened
Fixated on the contents
Of my Xmas stocking.
One candy cane, one
Orange, one banana, a
Few wrapped mini candies,
A half dozen candy kisses
And mostly various types
Of nuts: pecans, walnuts,
Cashews, peanuts and
Several mysterious others.
The pecans and walnuts
Predominate taking many
Hours to crack and pick.
We are fixed in one place
And not making mischief or
Mayhem around the house.
Today we use TV and gizmos
To occupy our children but
It would be nice to try pecans
And walnuts to keep them
Busy while the adults rest.
Caveat, children under eight
Are too young to keep from
Hacking on bits of shell
But in the 1950s we had
Lots of kids and could
Afford to winnow out
The slower ones.