'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 mommy in her kerchief and I in my cap
Had 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 luster of midday to objects below
When what to my wandering eyes should appear
But a miniature sleigh and eight tiny reindeer
With a little ol' driver, so lively and quick
I knew in a moment, it must be St. Nick

More rapid than eagles, his courses they came
As he whistled and shouted, and called them by name
"Now dasher, now dancer
Prancer and Vixen
On Comet, On Cupid, On Doner, An' Blitzen!"
To the top of the porch, to the top of the wall
Now dash away, dash away, dash away all

As dry leaves before the wild hurricane fly
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky
So, up to the housetop, the courses they flew
With a sleigh full of toys
And St. Nicholas too
And then in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each of their hoof

As I drew in my head 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 twinkle, dimples, how merry
His cheeks were like roses, his nose was like a cherry
His drawl little mouth was drawn up like a bow
And the beard of his chin, was as white as the snow
The stump of his pipe, he held tight in his teeth
And the smoke, it encircled his head like a wreath

He had a broad face with a round little belly
That shook when he laughed, like a bowl full of jelly
He was chubby and plump
A right old jolly 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
An' laying his finger at the side of his nose
And giving a nod up the chimney he rose

He sprang to his sleigh to his team, gave a whistle
An' away they all flew like the down of a thistle
But I heard him exclaims, as he drove out of sight
"Happy Christmas to all, and to all, a goodnight!"