'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the inn<br/>All the travelers were sleeping, while monsters brood kin<br/><br/>They're stalking their victims by the forest with care<br/>In hopes that their dinner will soon would be there<br/><br/>The players were nestled all snug in their beds,<br/>While visions of golden coins danced in their heads;<br/><br/>And Luacian in his bowtie, and I in my cap,<br/>Had just settled down for a long evening nap,<br/><br/>When down in the lounge there arose such a clatter,<br/>I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.<br/><br/>Away to the bar I flew like a flash,<br/>Wearing nothing but robe that's tied with a sash<br/><br/>The room has been glamored with new fallen snow<br/>That sprinkled white powered on the floor below<br/><br/>When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,<br/>But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer,<br/><br/>With a little old driver, so lively and quick,<br/>I knew in a moment it must be Magic<br/><br/>More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,<br/>And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;<br/><br/>"Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!<br/>On, Comet! on Cupid! on, Donder and Blitzen!<br/><br/>Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!"<br/><br/>As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,<br/>When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky,<br/><br/>So up to the counters the coursers they flew,<br/>With the sleigh full of toys, and item wondrous too.<br/><br/>And then, in a twinkling, I heard from the roof<br/>The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.<br/><br/>As I drew in my head, and was turning around,<br/>on top the chimney the man came with a bound.<br/><br/>He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,<br/>And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;<br/><br/>A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,<br/>And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.<br/><br/>His eyes -- how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!<br/>His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!<br/><br/>His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,<br/>And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow;<br/><br/>The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,<br/>And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath;<br/><br/>He had a broad face and a little round belly,<br/>That shook, when he laughed like a bowlful of jelly.<br/><br/>He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,<br/>And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;<br/><br/>A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,<br/>Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;<br/><br/>He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,<br/>And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,<br/><br/>And laying his finger aside of his nose,<br/>And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;<br/><br/>He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,<br/>And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.<br/><br/>But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,<br/>"Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good-night.