twas 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 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 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 