Twas The Night Before Christmas - Art Carney

Twas the night

Before Christmas

When all through the house

Not a creature was stirring

Not even a mouse

The stockings all hung

By the chimney with care

In hopes

That St Nicholas

Soon would be there

The children were nestled

All safe in their beds

While visions of sugarplums

Danced in their heads

Then mom in her kerchief

And I in my cap

Had just settled down

For a long winters 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 like a flash

Tore open the shutters

Threw up the sash

When what

To my wandering eyes

Should appear

But a miniature sleigh

And eight tiny reindeer

With a little ol driver

So lively and quick

I knew in a moment

It must be St nick

More rapid than eagles

His courses they came

As he whistled

And shouted

And called

Them by name

Now dasher

Now dancer

Now prancer

Now vixen

On comet

On cupid

On doner

An blitzen

To the top

Of the porch

To the top

Of the wall

Now dash away

Dash away

Dash away all

So up

To the housetop

The courses

They flew

With a 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

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 opening

His pack

His eyes

How they twinkle

His dimples how merry

His cheeks

Were like roses

His nose like a cherry

His drawl little mouth

Was drawn up like a bow

And the beard of his chin

Was a white as the snow

The stump of his pipe

He held tight

In his teeth

And the smoke it

Encircled his head

Like a wreath

He had a broad face

And a round little belly

That shook when he laughed

Like a bowl full of jelly

He was chubby and plump

A right jolly old elf

I laughed when I saw him

In spite of myself

He spoke not a word

But went straight

To his work

And filled

All the stockings

Then turned

With a jerk

He rose

An laying a finger

Along side his nose

An giving a nod

Up the chimney

He rose

He sprang

To his sleigh

To his team

Gave a whistle

An away

They all flew

Like the down

Of a thistle

But I heard him exclaim

As he drove out of sight

Happy christmas to all

And to all a goodnight