MERRY CHRISTMAS
The Night Before Christmas
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 mama 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.
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
new-fallen snow,
gave the luster of mid-day to objects 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,
and called them by name.
"Now, Dasher! Now, Dancer!, Now
Prancer and Vixon!
On, comet! On, Cupid!, On, Donner and Blitzen!
To the
top of the porch! To the top of the wall!
Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away
all!!"
As 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 a 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 hand 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 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 round belly,
that shook 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 led me to believe
I had nothing to dread.
He spoke not a word,
but went straiqht
to his work, and filled all the stockings,
then turned
with a jerk.
And, laying a finger aside of his nose,
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
as he
drove out of sight,
"Merry Christmas to All,
and to all a good
night!!"
This is a card that a sister sent
me.
Inside it says:
Finally, I decided, the cat's going
to be in the
tree anyway,
so why not just use it as an
ornament!
Please sign my guest book
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