Twas 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

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 sugarplums

Danced in their heads

And mamma in her kerchief,

And I in my cap,

Had just settled down

For a long winter nap

When out on the lawn

There arose such a clatter,

I sprang from my bed

To see what was the matter.

When, what to my wondering

Eyes should appear,

But a minature 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 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 housetop

The coursers they flew,

With the sleigh fullof 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 turing 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 on 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!''

 

 

-Favourite Christmas stories

by Clement Clarke Moore

illustrated by Elizabeth webbe.