Twas The Night Before Christmas
Fred Waring Lyrics

Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
It was the evening prior to Christmas when the entire household was at rest

Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
No living being was disturbed, not even a small rodent.

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
The socks were deliberately placed close to the chimney

In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there.
Expecting Saint Nicholas to come anytime soon.

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
The babies were sleeping peacefully in their comfortable bedding,

While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads.
While they were dreaming of having a delicious snack before them

And mama in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap,
Mommy wore a headscarf to bed, and I had a hat covering my head,

Had just settled our brains for a long winter's nap.
We were getting ready for a prolonged period of sleep to combat the harsh winter.

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
Suddenly the garden outside clamoured so loudly, it was heard indoors.

I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
I immediately jumped out of my bed to check what had happened outside

Away to the window I flew like a flash,
I rushed to the window like a bolt of lightning.

Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.
I tore the blinds and pushed the window up wide,

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
The moonlight was over the newly fallen snow,

Gave the luster of mid-day to objects below.
It was so bright it looked as if it was daytime.

When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
Suddenly a strange thing caught my sight,

But a miniature sleigh, and eight tinny reindeer.
It was a little toy cart with eight tiny, noisy reindeers.

With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
With a small, lively and speedy old driver,

I knew in a moment it must be St Nick.
I instantly realized that it was St. Nicholas

More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
His horses were swifter than eagles to my amazement

And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name!
He whistled, shouted, and called their names!

"Now Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!
"Dash away! Dancer! Prancer! Vixen!

On, Comet! On, Cupid! on, on Donner and Blitzen!
Comet! Cupid! Donner! Blitzen! Keep up!

To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Get to the top of the balcony and scale the wall!

Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!
Now run away, run away, run away all!

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
Floating like dry foliage before a violent hurricane

When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky.
When they reach an obstacle, they mount up to the sky.

So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
So the horses flew up to the rooftop of the house,

With the sleigh full of Toys, and St Nicholas too.
The sleigh was loaded with many toys, plus St. Nicholas as well!

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
Suddenly I hear a sound on the rooftop

The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
I hear each tiny foot prance and paw the roof.

As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
When I pulled my head back and twisted it around,

Down the chimney St Nicholas came with a bound.
In a single leap, St. Nicholas came down the chimney.

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
His furry garment covered him completely from top to toe,

And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot.
His attire was covered in a thick layer of dust and ash

A bundle of Toys he had flung on his back,
A pack of toys was thrown over his back,

And he looked like a peddler, just opening his pack.
And he resembled a peddler who was just opening his goods.

His eyes-how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
They sparkle in his eyes! His dimples are light-hearted.

His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His rosy cheeks look like blossoming flowers, and his nose looks like a cherry!

His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
His little mouth was drawn up to look like a bow,

And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow.
The hair covering his chin was as white as the snow

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
The remains of his pipe he held firmly between his teeth,

And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.
The fumes formed a wreath like shape around his head.

He had a broad face and a little round belly,
He had a large face and a small rounded belly,

That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly!
It shook as he laughed, like a bowl of wobbly jelly!

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
He was chubby and plump, a very merry old man!

And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself!
I couldn't help but laugh when I saw him, even though I didn't want to!

A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
He gave me a brief wink and tilted his head,

Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.
I understood that his gestures meant I had nothing to worry about.

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
He remained silent but got straight to work,

And filled all the stockings, then turned with a jerk.
He filled all the socks, then spun around suddenly.

And laying his finger aside of his nose,
He placed his finger down by his nose,

And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose!
And with a nod, he surged up the fireplace!

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
He jumped into his cart and whistled to his horses,

And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
And they all flew away like thistledown,

But I heard him exclaim, 'ere he drove out of sight,
But as he disappeared from view, I heard him shout,

"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!"
"Merry Christmas, and a peaceful & joyful night to everyone!"