The Night Before Christmas
Mike Hockenhull Lyrics

Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
This happened on the night before Christmas where nothing was moving inside the house

Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
No animals were moving around, not even a mouse.

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
The stockings were hung carefully over the fireplace.

In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there.
They were hoping that Santa Claus would come soon.

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
The children were comfortably settled in their beds.

While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads.
The kids were dreaming of sugar plums in their sleep.

And mama in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap,
The father was wearing his cap and the mother had wrapped a scarf on her head.

Had just settled our brains for a long winter's nap.
The couple was getting ready to take a long nap.

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
There was a loud noise on the lawn outside.

I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
The father got out of the bed quickly to check what had happened.

Away to the window I flew like a flash,
He hurried to the window quickly like lightning.

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

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

Gave the luster of mid-day to objects below.
The snow's reflection made everything on the ground appear as if it was mid-day.

When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
And then he saw something that he wasn't expecting.

But a miniature sleigh, and eight tinny reindeer.
It was a small sleigh with eight tiny reindeer.

With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
The driver was old but he looked lively and energetic.

I knew in a moment it must be St Nick.
The man immediately knew that it must be Santa Claus.

More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
The reindeer were running fast, faster than eagles.

And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name!
The driver of the sleigh was whistling, shouting and calling the reindeer by their names.

Now Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!
He called the reindeer Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, and Vixen.

On, Comet! On, Cupid! on, on Donner and Blitzen!
He called the remaining four reindeer Comet, Cupid, Donner, and Blitzen.

To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
He instructed the reindeer to climb up to the top of the porch and the wall.

Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!
He asked them to run away quickly.

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
The speed of the reindeer was fast like the dry leaves that fly during a wild hurricane.

When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky.
However, if they encounter an obstacle in their path, they would jump high in the sky.

So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
The reindeer went up to the top of the house.

With the sleigh full of Toys, and St Nicholas too.
The sleigh was full of toys and Santa Claus himself was riding it.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
Suddenly, he heard some noises coming from the rooftop.

The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
He could hear the sounds of the reindeer prancing and pawing on the roof.

As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
He drew his head inside the house and then turned back.

Down the chimney St Nicholas came with a bound.
Suddenly, Santa Claus came down the chimney with a jump.

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
Santa Claus was wearing fur from his head to his feet.

And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot.
His clothes were dirty and black because of the ashes and soot entering from the chimney.

A bundle of Toys he had flung on his back,
He had thrown a bundle of toys on his back.

And he looked like a peddler, just opening his pack.
He was resembling a peddler, who had just opened his pack.

His eyes-how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
Santa's eyes sparkled and his cheeks appeared happy.

His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His rosy cheeks resembled the color of roses, while his nose looked like a cherry.

His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
He had a humorous little mouth that looked like an archery bow.

And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow.
He had a snow-white beard on his chin.

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
He had a small pipe that was tucked in between his teeth.

And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.
The smoke from the pipe was flowing around his head like a wreath.

He had a broad face and a little round belly,
Santa had a broad face and a small, round tummy.

That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly!
When he laughed, his belly shook, and looked very similar to a bowl full of jelly.

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
Santa was a plump, chubby elf who appeared to be very cheerful.

And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself!
Even the father couldn't stop himself from laughing upon seeing Santa.

A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Santa winked his eye and twisted his head.

Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.
His gestures made the father feel as if he had nothing to worry about.

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
Santa didn't say anything, but he immediately started doing his work.

And filled all the stockings, then turned with a jerk.
Santa filled all the stockings with the gifts and presents he had brought and quickly turned around.

And laying his finger aside of his nose,
He placed his finger aside his nose.

And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose!
Then, he nodded and went up the chimney.

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
Santa jumped to his sleigh and whistled to his reindeer.

And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
The whole crew flew away like the thistle's soft feathers.

But I heard him exclaim, 'ere he drove out of sight,
The father still heard Santa's voice even though he couldn't see him anymore.

"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!"
"Merry Christmas to everyone and have a good night!"