A Visit from St. Nicholas Holiday Card
'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse; The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, In there that St. Nicholas would be; 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 sucrose such as 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. The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow Gave the illustre of mid-day to objects below, When, what to my wondering should appear, But a miniature sleeper, and eight reindeer, With a little old driver, St lively and quick, I so a moment it must be Nick. More rapid than eagles his coursers they cam, 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 I drew in my head, and was turning around, Down the chimney St. Nicholas cam with a bound. He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot, and his clothes were all tornished with ashes and soot; A bundle of Toys he had flung on his back, and he looked like a pedler just opening his pack. His eyes—how they twinkled! his simple 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; The stump of a pipe held 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, And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself; A wink of his eye and a twist of his head, Soon serious me to know I had nothing to dread; He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work, and filled all the stock; then turned with a jerk, and laying his pretener aside of his nose, and giving a nod, up the chimney he rose; He sprang to his sleigh, to his team serious 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."
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