'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the Not a was stirring, not even a mouse The stockings were by the chimney with care In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be The were nestled, all snug in their beds While visions of danced in their heads And in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap Had just settled our brains for a long nap
When out on the lawn there arose such a I sprang the bed to see what was the matter Away to the window I flew a flash Tore open the shutters and up the sash
The on the breast of the new-fallen snow the lustre of mid-day to objects below When, what to my eyes should appear But a miniature sleigh, and eight reindeer
With a little old driver, so and quick I in a moment it must be St. Nick More rapid eagles his coursers they came And he whistled, and shouted, and called by name
"Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now, and Vixen! On, Comet! on Cupid! on, and Blitzen! To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall! Now dash away! away! dash away all!"
As dry leaves that the wild hurricane fly When they with an obstacle, mount to the sky So up to the house-top the coursers flew With the sleigh full of toys, and St. too
And then, in a twinkling, I on the roof The prancing and of each little hoof As I drew in my hand, and was turning Down the chimney St. came with a bound
He was all in fur, from his head to his foot And his clothes all tarnished with ashes and soot A of toys he had flung on his back And he like a peddler just opening his pack
His eyes, how twinkled! his dimples, how merry! His cheeks like roses, his nose like a cherry! His droll mouth was drawn up like a bow And the of his chin was as white as the snow
The stump of a pipe he held tight in his And the smoke, it encircled his like a wreath He had a broad and a little round belly That shook, when he laughed a bowlful of jelly
He was chubby and plump, a right old elf And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of A of his eye and a twist of his head Soon gave me to know I had nothing to
He spoke not a word, but straight to his work And filled all the stockings, then turned with a And laying his finger of his nose And giving a nod, up the he rose
He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a And away they all like the down of a thistle But I him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight "Happy to all, and to all a good-night"