Sunday, December 25, 2011

A Visit From St. Nicholas

'Twas 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 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 the 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 lustre 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 Vixen!
On, Comet! On, Cupid! on, 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 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 dressed all 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 of 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 belly,
That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful 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 sight,

“Happy Christmas to all, 
and to all a good-night!"

 ~ Clement C. Moore, 1822 ~


Best wishes to you for a wonderful Christmas!

"When we recall Christmas past, 
we usually find that the simplest things 
~ not the great occasions ~ 
give off the greatest glow of happiness."  

~ Bob Hope ~



4 comments:

  1. The beautiful images above were found here:

    http://www.reusableart.com/v/christmas/the-night-before-christmas/

    They are copyright free, public domain images that appeared in 'Night Before Christmas', a book published in 1870.

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  2. No Christmas is complete without this! I hope you had a Merry One. We just got home from a day at Jim's mom. Looking forward to some 'down-time' tomorrow! I love the pictures you found to put with the poem. It sort of sad to realize there is another Christmas gone...sigh. But this is life. My oldest daughter flew to Nova Scotia to visit fer boyfriends family. I miss her already. Treasure the stage you are in. It disappears way too fast!

    See you soon.

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  3. We had a very nice Christmas here... this was the first Christmas the kids couldn't sleep and wanted to get up early to open presents :) Next weekend will be the last Christmas with my husband's side of the family ~ so Christmas isn't quite over, here anyway... I hope you get a chance to relax today, and that your daughter has a safe trip! I will be home playing with the kids, helping them try out all their new toys :)

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  4. sweet ! love this post
    - KAT -

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“Kind words can be short and easy to speak,
but their echoes are truly endless.”

~ Mother Teresa