Twas The Night Before Christmas
Perry Como Performed With Mitchell Ayres And His Orchestra Lyrics

'Twas the night before Christmas,
On the night before Christmas

When all through the house,
And everything in the house

Not a creature was stirring,
No one was moving

Not even a mouse!
Not even a little mouse

The stockings all hung
The Christmas stockings were

By the chimney with care,
Carefully hung by the chimney

In hopes that St. Nicholas
In hope that St. Nicholas Saint Clas

Soon would be there!
Would soon arrive!

The children were nestled
The kids were sound asleep

All safe in their beds,
All tucked in their warm beds

While visions of sugarplums
But visions of sugarplums

Danced in their heads!
Danced through their dreams

And Mom in her kerchief
And Mom wearing a kerchief

And I in my cap,
And I wearing my cap

Had just settled down
Had just gone to bed

For a long winter's nap!
To sleep through the long winter night

When out on the lawn
When suddenly, outside

There arose such a clatter,
There was a great noise

I sprang from my bed
I jumped out of bed

To see what was the matter!
To see what was wrong!

Away to the window
I went to the window

I flew like a flash,
I ran very quickly

Tore open the shutters
And tore open the shutters

And threw up the sash!
And threw open the window wide!

The moon on the breast
The moon shining on the

Of the new fallen snow,
New fallen snow

Gave the lustre of midday
Made it bright like midday

To object below!
Letting me see everything outside

When what to my wandering eyes
But, what to my wondering eyes

Should appear,
Should soon appear

But a miniature sleigh
But a tiny sleigh

And eight tiny reindeer!
With eight small reindeer

With a little ol' driver
And they had a little old driver

So lively and quick,
Who was lively and quick

I knew in a moment
I quickly realized

It must be St. Nick!
That it was Santa Claus!

More rapid than eagles
The reindeer flew even faster

His courses they came,
As they came with great speed

As he whistled and shouted
And Santa called to them

And called them by name:
Calling each one by their name

"Now Dasher,
"Now Dasher

Now Dancer,
Now Dancer

Now Prancer,
Now Prancer

Now Vixen,
Now Vixen

On Comet,
On Comet

On Cupid,
On Cupid

On Doner
On Donner

An' Blitzen!"
And Blitzen too!"

To the top of the porch,
Up to the top of the porch

To the top of the wall,
To the top of the wall

Now dash-away, dash-away,
Now off they went, running, beating

Dash-away all!
The reindeer away!

As dry leaves
Like dry leaves in

Before the wild hurricane fly,
A wild hurricane's force

When they meet with an obstacle
A strong wind when blocked

Mount to the sky.
Goes high up into the sky

So, up to the housetop
So up to the housetop the reindeer flew

The courses they flew,
Right up to the rooftop they flew

With a sleigh full of toys
With Santa's sleigh that was full of toys

And St. Nicholas too!
And St. Nicholas himself too!

And then in a twinkling
And suddenly

I heard on the roof,
I could hear on the roof

The prancing and pawing
The reindeer were prancing and pawing

Of each little hoof!
Making a loud noise with each hoof

As I drew in my head
As I was pulling back my head

And was turning around,
And was turning around

Down the chimney St. Nicholas
Santa Claus came down the chimney

Came with a bound!
And jumped down with a leap!

He was dressed all in fur
He wore a fur suit

From his head to his foot,
From his head to his foot

And his clothes were all tarnished
His clothes were dirty

With ashes and soot!
With ashes and soot from the chimney

A bundle of toys
He had a big sack of toys

He had flung on his back,
That he flung on his back

And he looked like a peddler
Which made him look like a salesman

Just opening his pack!
Looking through his pack!

His eyes how they twinkled,
His eyes shone and twinkled

His dimples how merry,
His face had jolly dimples

His cheeks were like roses,
His cheeks were red like roses

His nose like a cherry!
His nose was red like a cherry

His drawl little mouth
His little mouth

Was drawn up like a bow,
Was curved like a drawn bow

And the beard of his chin
And his beard

Was as white as the snow!
Was as white as the snow outside

The stump of his pipe
He had a pipe in his mouth

He held tight in his teeth,
That he held tightly in his mouth

And the smoke it encircled his head
And the smoke from his pipe circled his head

Like a wreath!
Like a wreath of smoke

He had a broad face
His face was chubby and round

And a round little belly,
And he had a round little stomach

That shook when he laughed
That shook when he laughed aloud

Like a bowl full of jelly!
Like a bowl of wobbly jelly!

He was chubby and plump,
He was a chubby and plump man

A right jolly old elf,
And a very cheerful, happy old man

I laughed when I saw him
I couldn't help but laugh when I saw him

In spite of myself!
Even though I didn't intend to laugh!

A wink of his eye
He gave a quick wink

And a twist of his head,
And turned his head quickly

Soon gave me to know
Which quickly told me

I had nothing to dread!
That there was nothing to be afraid of

He spoke not a word
He didn't say anything

But went straight to his work,
But went straight to his task

And filled all the stockings,
And filled all the stockings

Then turned with a jerk!
Then turned around suddenly

An' laying a finger
And putting a finger

Alongside his nose,
Beside his nose

An' giving a nod,
He gave a small nod

Up the chimney he rose!
And up the chimney he rose!

He sprang to his sleigh,
He quickly jumped to his sleigh

To his team gave a whistle,
Whistling for his team

An' away they all flew
And off they all went

Like the down of a thistle.
As light as a feather!

But I heard him exclaim
But I heard him shout

As he drove out of sight,
As he drove out of sight

"Happy Christmas to All,
"Merry Christmas to all

And to all a Goodnight!"
And to all a good night!"