The
Night
Before
Christmas
T 'was 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
Santa soon would be there.
And with their best blankets and
sweet sleeping caps,
they just settled down for a
long winter's nap.
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
they sprung from their beds
to see what was the matter.
Away to the window they flew like a flash,
tore open the shutters and threw
up the sash.
The moonlight glittered on
the new -fallen snow.
The children gazed out
at the garden below.
When what did they see?
Oh, what did appear?
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer,
with a little old driver so lively and quick.
This was
Santa,
Father
Christmas, this was
Saint
Nick.
More rapid than eagles his reindeer they came,
and he whistled and shouted and called them
by name.
Now
Dasher, now
Dancer, now
Prancer and
Vixen,
O
Comet,
O
Cupid,
O
Donner and
Blitzen,
To the top of the porch,
to the top of the wall,
Now dash away, dash away,
dash away all!
And then the children heard
on the roof
The prancing and pawing
of each little hoof,
As they blinked in surprise and
turned right 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 dirty
with ashes and soot.
A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,
with candy canes poking right out of his pack.
His eyes, how they twinkled!
His dimples, how merry!
His cheeks were like roses,
his nose like a cherry.
His happy little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
and the beard on his chin was as white as the snow.
His boots were deep black, so white were his teeth,
with his white and red hats on his head like a wreath.
He had a broad face and a little round belly that
shook when he laughed like a bowl full of jelly.
He was chubby and plump, a jolly old elf,
and the children they laughed in spite of
themselves.
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
from this jolly elf they 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 on the side of his nose, and giving a nod
And up the chimney he rose.
He sprang to his sleigh,
to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew,
like the fluff on a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim,
as he flew out of sight,
Happy
Christmas to all, and to all a good night!