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‘Twas the Night Before Christmas: A Holiday Poem Told Through Pictures

'Twas the Night before Christmas: A Holiday Poem Told through Pictures

‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;

Not even a mouse

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care

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,

The children were nestled all snug in their beds

While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;
And mamma in her kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled our brains 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.

Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow

Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below,
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer,

But a miniature sleigh

With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name:

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 house-top 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.

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.

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,

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;

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 bowlful of jelly.

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,

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,

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 filled all the stockings

And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;

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,
“Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night.”

Image Credits

‘Twas the Night before Christmas: A Holiday Poem Told through Pictures © 2011 Heather Johnson
Not even a mouse © 2011 Heather Johnson
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care © 2010 Heather Johnson
The children were nestled all snug in their beds © 2011 Heather Johnson
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash © 2011 Heather Johnson
The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow © 2010 Heather Johnson
But a miniature sleigh © 2011 Heather Johnson
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name © 2011 Heather Johnson
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof © 2011 James Johnson
Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound © 2011 Heather Johnson
A bundle of toys he had flung on his back © 2011 Heather Johnson
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow © 2011 Heather Johnson
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf © 2011 Heather Johnson
And filled all the stockings © 2010 Heather Johnson
Up the chimney he rose © 2011 Heather Johnson

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