T 'was the night before Christmas
and 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 sugarplums
danced in their heads
And Ma in her kerchief
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
I sprang from my bed
to see what was the matter
The moon on the crest
of the new fallen snow
Gave a luster of midday
to ob jects below
And what do I wonder if
I should appear
But a miniature sleigh
and a tiny reindeer
With a little old driver so lively and quick
I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick
Now Dasher and Prancer,
now Dash and Hazel
Came to the top of the porch,
to the top of the wall
And up to the housetop
those reindeer they flew
With a sleigh full of toys
and St. Nicholas too
A round little face and a rousted little belly
And look when he laughed
like a bowl full of jelly
His eyes how they twinkled,
his dimples how merry
His cheeks were like roses
and his nose like a cherry
He spoke not a word
but went straight to his work
He filled all the stockings
then turned with a jerk
And laying his finger aside of his nose
Then giving a nod
up the chimney he rose
He sprang to his sleigh,
to the ting gave a whistle,
And away they all flew
like the down on a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim
as he drove out of sight,
Merry Christmas to all,
and to all the good night.
I'll be going place plus that
all through the house