You damn well better read this, I spent a half and hour typing!
'Twas the night before Cristmas,
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 they're beds,
While visions of sugarplums
Danced in they're 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 my 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 now fallen snow
Gave the luster of midday
To objects below,
When what to my mondering
Eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh
And eight tiny reindeer,
With a old little driver
So lively and quick,
In 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!"
As the dry leaves that before
The wild hurricane fly
When they meet with an obstacle,
Mount to the sky,
So up to the housetop
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 head
And was turning around,
Down the chimney St. Nicholas
Came with a bound.
He was all dressed 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 on his chin
Was 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
And a round little belly
Thay chook when he laughed
Like a bowl full of jelly.
He was chubby and plump,
A right jolly old 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,
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 site,
"Merry Christmas to all
And to all a good night!"
-Clement Clarke Moore
'Twas the night before Cristmas,
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 they're beds,
While visions of sugarplums
Danced in they're 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 my 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 now fallen snow
Gave the luster of midday
To objects below,
When what to my mondering
Eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh
And eight tiny reindeer,
With a old little driver
So lively and quick,
In 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!"
As the dry leaves that before
The wild hurricane fly
When they meet with an obstacle,
Mount to the sky,
So up to the housetop
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 head
And was turning around,
Down the chimney St. Nicholas
Came with a bound.
He was all dressed 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 on his chin
Was 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
And a round little belly
Thay chook when he laughed
Like a bowl full of jelly.
He was chubby and plump,
A right jolly old 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,
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 site,
"Merry Christmas to all
And to all a good night!"
-Clement Clarke Moore
