A Visit from St. Nicholas
Clement Clarke Moore - 1779-1863
'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 sugar-plums danced in their heads;
And mamma in her ’kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled our brains 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 breat of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objcts 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 St. Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, a called them by name;
"Now, Dasher! now, Dancr! now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! on, Cupid! on, Donder and Blitzen!
To the top of the poch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!"
As dry leaves that before the wild hurricae fly,
When they meet wth an obstacle, mount to the sky;
So up to the hous-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of Toys, and St. Nichols too.
And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a ound.
He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his fot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;
A bundle of Toys he had flung on his bac,
And he looked like a pedler just opening his pack.
His eyes—how they twinkled! his diples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up ike a bow
the beard of his chin was as white as the snow;
The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smke it encircled his head like a wreath;
He had a broad face ad a little round bely,
That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jell.
He wa chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I sw 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 dred;
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,
And laing 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 herd him excaim, ere he droe out of sight,
"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night."