Clement Clark Moore"Twas the night before #1 CHRISTMAS,
when
all through the #2 HOUSE
Not a creature was stirring,not even a #3 MOUSE;
The
#4 STOCKINGS were hung by the chimney
with care,
In hopes that #5 ST.NICHOLAS soon would be there;
The children were nestled all
snug in their #6 BEDS,
While visions of #7 SUGAR-PLUMS danced in their
heads;
And Mama in her #8'KERCHIEF and
I in my #9 CAP,
Had just settled down 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 #10 SHUTTERS and threw up the sash.
The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow,
Gave the lustre of mid-day to
objects below,
When, what to my wondering
eyes should appear,
But a miniature #11
SLEIGH, and eight tiny #12
REINDEER,
With a little old driver, so lively
and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be #13 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 dry leaves that before
the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an
obstacle, mount to the sky;
So up to the house-top
the coursers they flew,
With a sleigh full of toys,
and #14 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 #15 HAND, and was turning around,
Down the
chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.
He was
dressed all in fur, from his head to his #16
FOOT.
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and #17 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 #18 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 little round #19 BELLY,
That shook when he laughed, like a bowl full of #20 JELLY.
He was chubby and #21 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 #22 STOCKINGS; then turned with a jerk,
And laying his finger aside of his #23 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 sight,