nightbefore

Twas the night before Christmas,
when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring,
not even a mouse.

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's 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 up 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 miniature sleigh and eight tiny reindeer

With a little old driver so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be Saint 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 a sleigh full of toys
and Saint Nicholas, too.

And then in a twinkling I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each tiny hoof.

As I drew in my head and was turning
around, down the chimney Saint
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 round little 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!"