bowedark
Active Member
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- 254
THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS
'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;
The buck were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St Nicholas would see that we
need better tags in come year;
The large children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of Elk & Deer danced in their heads;
And mamma in her nigthy, 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,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a sleigh and eight elk,
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, Donder and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!"
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of Tags, and St. Nicholas too.
And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each hoof.
As Down the chimney came St. Nicholas
He was dressed all in bear fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;
A bundle of tags he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a trapper just opening his pack.
His drolling 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.
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."
'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;
The buck were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St Nicholas would see that we
need better tags in come year;
The large children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of Elk & Deer danced in their heads;
And mamma in her nigthy, 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,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a sleigh and eight elk,
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, Donder and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!"
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of Tags, and St. Nicholas too.
And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each hoof.
As Down the chimney came St. Nicholas
He was dressed all in bear fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;
A bundle of tags he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a trapper just opening his pack.
His drolling 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.
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."
