The Night Before Christmas

    • Poet: Clement Clarke Moore
    • First published anonymously on December 23, 1823
    • Publisher: Troy Sentinel
    • Also known as A Visit From St. Nicholas
    • Only four hand-written copies in existence
    • Moore did not claim ownership until 1844
    • Some controversy over ownership still exists
    • Adaptations: Animated version

  • The Night Before Christmas is a famous holiday poem written by Clement Clarke Moore

  • Text

    • 1 'Twas the night before Christmas, when all thro' the house,
    • 2 Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;
    • 3 The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
    • 4 In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;
    • 5 The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
    • 6 While visions of sugar plums danc'd in their heads,
    • 7 And Mama in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap,
    • 8 Had just settled our brains for a long winter's nap-
    • 9 When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
    • 10 I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
    • 11 Away to the window I flew like a flash,
    • 12 Tore open the shutters, and threw up the sash.
    • 13 The moon on the breast of the new fallen snow,
    • 14 Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below;
    • 15 When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
    • 16 But a minature sleigh, and eight tiny rein-deer,
    • 17 With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
    • 18 I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.
    • 19 More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
    • 20 And he whistled, and shouted, and call'd them by name:
    • 21 "Now! Dasher, now! Dancer, now! Prancer, and Vixen,
    • 22 "On! Comet, on! Cupid, on! Dunder and Blixem;
    • 23 "To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
    • 24 "Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!"
    • 25 As dry leaves before the wild hurricane fly,
    • 26 When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky;
    • 27 So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
    • 28 With the sleigh full of Toys - and St. Nicholas too:
    • 29 And then in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
    • 30 The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
    • 31 As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
    • 32 Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound:
    • 33 He was dress'd all in fur, from his head to his foot,
    • 34 And his clothes were all tarnish'd with ashes and soot;
    • 35 A bundle of toys was flung on his back,
    • 36 And he look'd like a peddler just opening his pack:
    • 37 His eyes - how they twinkled! his dimples how merry,
    • 38 His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry;
    • 39 His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
    • 40 And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow;
    • 41 The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
    • 42 And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.
    • 43 He had a broad face, and a little round belly
    • 44 That shook when he laugh'd, like a bowl full of jelly:
    • 45 He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
    • 46 And I laugh'd when I saw him in spite of myself;
    • 47 A wink of his eye and a twist of his head
    • 48 Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.
    • 49 He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
    • 50 And fill'd all the stockings; then turn'd with a jerk,
    • 51 And laying his finger aside of his nose
    • 52 And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose.
    • 53 He sprung to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
    • 54 And away they all flew, like the down of a thistle:
    • 55 But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight-
    • 56 Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night.

About this page

  • Page Views
    37
What is this?

Page Manager

dougs
M$0.44
What is this?
This page currently has no vertical manager.

Featured Pages

Contact Mahalo | Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Advertisers | RSS for this page | CC License 2.0
©2007-2009 Mahalo.com Incorporated.
Powered By EdgeCast