The Night Before Christmas
THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS by Clement Clarke Moore
'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."
