'T WAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS
(A Visit From St. Nicholas)

(Major Henry Livingston Jr. - 1823)
Peter, Paul, & Mary

't Was the night before Christmas
and all through the house
Not a creature was stirring,
not even a mouse

The stockings were hung
by the chimney with care
In the 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.

Mom 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
with a flash
Tore open the shutters and
threw up the sash

The moon on the breast of
the new fallen snow
Gave a 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
Well I knew in a moment,
it must be St. Nick

More rapid than eagles,
his coursers they came
And he whistled and he shouted
and he called them by name

"On Dasher, on Dancer,
on Prancer and Vixen
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 to an
obstacle mount to the sky

So up to the rooftop 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, the 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 op'ning 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 in 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 belly

That shook when laughed
(ho, ho, ho, ho)
like a bowl full of jelly
(ho, ho, ho, ho)

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
and turned with a jerk

And laying a finger to the
side of his nose
And giving a nod up the
chimney he rose

He sprang to his sleigh,
and 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. Goodnight,

Goodnight."