'Twas the Night Before Christmas Lyrics

'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 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 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 midday

To objects below,

When what to my wondering

Eyes did appear,

But a miniature sleigh

And eight tiny reindeer,

With a little old driver

So lively and quick,

I knew in a moment

He 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, 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 housetop

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 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 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—

"Merry Christmas to all,

And to all a good night!"