text: Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house
  Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse
  The stockings were hung by the chimney with care
  In the hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there
  The children were nestled all snug in their beds
  While visions of sugar plums danced in their heads
  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 with a flash
  Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash
  The moon on the breast of the new fallen snow
  Gave a luster of mid-day to objects below
  When what to my wondering eyes should appear
  But a miniature sleigh and eight tiny reindeer
  With a little old driver so lively and quick
  Well I knew in a moment, it must be st. nick
  More rapid than eagles, his coursers they came
  And he whistled and he shouted and he called them by name
  On Dasher, on Dancer, on Prancer and Vixen
  On Comet, on Cupid, on Donner 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 to an obstacle mount to the sky
  So up to the rooftop the coursers they flew
  With a sleigh full of toys and St. Nicholas too
  And then in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
  The prancing, the 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 opning 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 in a bow
  And the beard on 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 laughed like a bowl full 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 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 and turned with a jerk
  And laying a finger to the side of his nose
  And giving a nod up the chimney he rose
  He sprang to his sleigh, and to his team gave a whistle
  And away they all flew like the down of a thistle
  But I heard him exclaim as he drove out of sight
  Merry Christmas to all and to all..goodnight
  Goodnight.