'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 Now the kids were all nestled all snug in their beds While visions of sugarplums danced in their heads Ma in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap We 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 And away to the window I flew like a flash I tore open the shutters and threw up the sash The moon on the breast of the new fallen snow Gave the luster of midday to objects below When, what to my wondering eyes should appear A miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer It had 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, Dunder and Blixem 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 Well, he was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself With a wink of his eye and a twist of his head He soon let me to know I had nothing to dread He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work And he filled all the stockings, then turned with a jerk Then 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, as he drove out of sight "Marry Christmas to all, and to all a good night"