The Night Before Christmas

Twas the night before Christmas
When all through the house
Not a creature was stirring
Not even a mouse

The stockings were hung B
By the chimney with care
In hopes that St. Nicholas
Would soon be there

The children were nestled
All snug in their beds
While visions of sugarplums
Danced in their heads

And Ma in her kerchief
And I in my cap,
Had just settled down
For a long winters nap

When out on the lawn
There arose such a clatter
I sprang from my 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 lustre of midday
To objects below

When what to my wondering eyes
Should appear
But a miniature sleigh
And eight tiny reindeer

With a little ole driver
So lively and quick
I knew in a moment
It must be St.Nick

More rapid than eagles
His courses they came
As he whistled
And shouted
And called
Them by name

Now Dasher
Now Dancer
Now Prancer
& Vixen
On Comet
On Cupid
On Donder
An Blitzen

To the top
Of the porch
To the top
Of the wall
Now dash-away
Dash-away
Dash-away all

As leaves that
Before the wild
Hurricane fly
When they meet
With an obstacle
Mount to the sky

So up
To the housetop
The courses
They flew
With a 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. 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 toys
He had flung
On his back
And he looked like a peddler
Just opening his pack

His eyes
How they twinkle
His dimples how merry
His cheeks
Were like roses
His nose like a cherry

His drawl little mouth
Was drawn up like a bow
And the beard of his chin
Was a white as the snow

The stump of a pipe
He held tight
In his teeth
And the smoke it
Encircled his head
Like a wreath

He had a broad face
And a round little 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

An laying his finger
Along side his nose
And giving a nod
Up the chimney
He rose

He sprang
To his sleigh
To his team
Gave a whistle
An away
They 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