TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS WRITER CLEMENT
CLARK MOORE

T'was 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
Find more similar lyrics on http://mp3lyrics.com/MCSfull 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."