Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house,
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Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
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The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
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In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there.
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And mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap,
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Had just settled down for a long winter's nap.
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When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
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I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter.
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Away to the window I flew like a flash,
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Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.
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The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow,
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Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below,
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When what to my wondering eye should appear,
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But a miniature sleigh and eight tiny reindeer.
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With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
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I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.
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More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
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And he whistled and shouted, and called them by name.
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Now, Dasher! Now, Dancer! Now Prancer, and Vixen!
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On Comet! On Cupid! On Donder and Blitzen!
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To the top of the porch!To the top of the wall!
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Now dash away! Dash away, dash away all!
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So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
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With the sleigh full of toys and St. Nicholas too.
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And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof,
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The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
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As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
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Down the chimney he came with a bound.
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He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
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And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot.
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A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,
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And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.
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His eyes, how they twinkled, his dimples how merry!
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His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
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His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
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And the beard on his chin was as white as the snow.
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The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
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And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.
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He had a broad face and a little round belly,
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That shook when he laughed, like a bowl full of jelly.
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He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
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And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself.
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A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
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Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.
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He spoke not a word but went straight to his work,
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And filled all the stockings, then turned with a jerk,
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And laying his finger aside of his nose,
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And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose.
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He sprang to his sleigh to his team gave a whistle,
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And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
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But I heard him exclaim, as he drove out of sight,
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Merry Chrisrmas to all and to all a good night
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'Twas The Night Before Christmas
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| Mary-Kate And Ashley Olsen |
