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 head

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 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 shutter And threw open the sash

The moon on the breast of the new fallen snow
Gave a luster of midday to objects below

When what to my wondering eyes should appear
But a minature sleigh and eight tiny

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 wistled and shouted, and called them by name

Now Dasher, now Dancer, now Prancer and Vixen

On Comet, on Cupid, on Donner 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,