Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house,
Not a creature was stirring not even a mouse;
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;
The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While vision of sugar plums danced in their heads;
And mamma in her kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled down for a long winters nap,
When out on the lawn there rose such a clatter,
I sprung from the bed to see what was the matter,
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash,
The moon on the breast of the new fallen snow,
Gave the luster of mid-day to objects below,
When what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a minature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer,
With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick,
More rapid then eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and called them by name,
Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! on Cupid! on, Donder and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!"
As dry leaves that before the wild hurrican fly,
When meet with an obstacle mount to the sky,
So up to the house-top the coursers flew,
With the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too,
And then in a twinkling, I heard on the roof,
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof,
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St. Nickplas 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 toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack,
His eyes--how they teinkled! his dimples how merry,
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cheery,
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as snow,
The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a weeath,
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook, when he laughed like a bowl full of jelly,
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself,
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread,
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings, then turned with a jerk,
And laying his finger aside his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose,
He sprang to his sleigh, to the team gave a whistle,
And away the all flew like the down of a thistle,
But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,
Merry Christmas to all and to all a Good Night.
This poem has to be read to every child, it has been enjoyed by decades of children, even myself. I read this to my children for many years when they were young. We have a beautiful copy bought in 1966 and I have it under the Christmas tree every year since.. Hope your Christmas is merry.
