'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 visions
of sugar-plums danced in their heads; And mamma in her 'kerchief, and I
in my cap, Had just settled down for a long winter's nap, When out on the
lawn there arose such a clatter, I sprang 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 lustre of mid-day to objects below, 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.
Nick. More rapid than eagles his coursers they came, And he whistled, and
shouted, 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 hurricane fly, When they meet with an
obstacle, mount to the sky, So up to the house-top the coursers they 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 hand, 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 twinkled! his dimples how merry! His cheeks were like
roses, his nose like a cherry! His droll little mouth was drawn up like
a bow, And the beard of his chin was as 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 little round belly, That shook,
when he laughed like a bowlful 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
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, ere he drove out of sight, "HAPPY
CHRISTMAS TO ALL, AND TO ALL A GOOD-NIGHT."
