The Night Before Christmas
La Dispute Lyrics

Twas the night before christmas, when all through the house
It was the night before Christmas, and the entire house was at peace.

Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
There wasn't a single movement or sound in the house.

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
The stockings had been hung carefully by the chimney in anticipation of St. Nicholas.

In hopes that st nicholas soon would be there.
Everyone was hoping that Santa Claus would make his arrival soon.

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
The children were sound asleep in their beds.

While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads.
They were dreaming of delightful things like candy and sweets.

And mamma in her ‘kerchief, and i in my cap,
The mother and father were getting ready for a long winter's rest.

Had just settled our brains for a long winter's nap.
They were finally winding down for a long, peaceful slumber.

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
Suddenly, there was a commotion outside.

I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
The father jumped out of bed to see what had caused the noise.

Away to the window i flew like a flash,
He hurried to the window as fast as he could.

Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.
He opened the shutters and raised the window up high.

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
The moon was shining brightly on the recently fallen snow outside.

Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below.
It was so bright outside that everything looked like it was daytime.

When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
Then he saw something amazing and unexpected.

But a miniature sleigh, and eight tinny reindeer.
A tiny sleigh, pulled by eight small reindeer, had come into view.

With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
The driver of the sleigh was a small, but quick and lively older man.

I knew in a moment it must be st nick.
He immediately recognized that this was St. Nicholas himself.

More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
The reindeer flew so fast that they were even faster than eagles.

And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name!
The driver was shouting out the names of each reindeer as they flew through the air.

"now dasher! now, dancer! now, prancer and vixen!
He called out the names of each reindeer as he urged them forward.

On, comet! on, cupid! on, on donner and blitzen!
He continued calling out the names of the remaining reindeer as they flew by.

To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
He directed them to fly all the way to the top of the porch and the wall.

Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!
Then he urged them forward once again to continue with all of their might.

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
The way the reindeer flew around reminded him of leaves caught in a hurricane.

When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky.
When they encountered an obstacle, the reindeer simply flew up and over it like it was nothing.

So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
The reindeer flew all the way up to the rooftop of the house.

With the sleigh full of toys, and st nicholas too.
They were carrying a sleigh full of toys, with St. Nicholas right behind them.

And then, in a twinkling, i heard on the roof
Suddenly, he heard a noise above him on the rooftop.

The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
The sound of the reindeer's hooves prancing and pawing was unmistakable.

As i drew in my head, and was turning around,
As he pulled his head back in from the window and started to turn around,

Down the chimney st nicholas came with a bound.
He was surprised to see St. Nicholas suddenly appear out of the chimney with a bound.

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
St. Nicholas was wearing a full outfit made entirely of fur.

And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot.
Unfortunately, his outfit had been tarnished by the soot that had gathered inside the chimney.

A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,
He had a bundle of toys strapped to his back, presumably intended for the children in the house.

And he looked like a peddler, just opening his pack.
St. Nicholas appeared like a salesman as he unloaded toys out of his bag.

His eyes-how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
St. Nicholas had very lively eyes and his dimples made deep impressions in his cheeks.

His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His cheeks were rosy and his nose was reddish in color, like a cherry.

His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
St. Nicholas had a small, yet amusing smile on his face, which looked like it was drawn up into a bow shape.

And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow.
He had a long, white beard that was just as white as the snow outside.

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
St. Nicholas held a pipe tightly in his teeth, with just the stump of the pipe showing.

And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.
A ring of smoke was circling his head like a wreath, which gave him an almost magical appearance.

He had a broad face and a little round belly,
St. Nicholas was round and stout, with a broad face which gave him a friendly appearance.

That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly!
His belly shook and wobbled when he laughed, appearing almost like a bowl full of jelly.

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
St. Nicholas was a jolly, cheerful old man who was both chubby and plump.

And i laughed when i saw him, in spite of myself!
The father couldn't help but laugh when he saw St. Nicholas.

A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
St. Nicholas gave a little wink and a nod of his head in acknowledgement.

Soon gave me to know i had nothing to dread.
This small gesture let the father know that he didn't have anything to be scared of.

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
St. Nicholas was busy working, and didn't say anything to the father.

And filled all the stockings, then turned with a jerk.
He filled all of the stockings and then quickly turned around with a sudden move.

And laying his finger aside of his nose,
Lastly, St. Nicholas put his finger up to his nose thoughtfully.

And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose!
Then, with a little nod of his head, he went right back up the chimney and out of sight.

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
He hopped back into his sleigh and gave a quick whistle to his team of reindeer.

And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
Then, they quickly took flight and disappeared into the night air like thistledown.

But i heard him exclaim, ‘ere he drove out of sight,
As he vanished from sight, the father could still hear St. Nicholas exclaiming.

"happy christmas to all, and to all a good-night!
He called out "Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!" to all those who could hear.