The Night Before Christmas
The Canadian Brass Lyrics

Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
It was the evening before Christmas, and the whole house was still and quiet.

Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
No living beings were moving, not even a small rodent.

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

In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there.
The placement of the stockings was done in anticipation of St. Nicholas's arrival.

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
The kids were lying comfortably asleep in their beds.

While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads.
The children were dreaming of sweet sugar-plums.

And mama in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap,
The mother and father were wearing their sleepwear.

Had just settled our brains for a long winter's nap.
The mother and father had just finished readying themselves for a long sleep.

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
When a loud noise was heard coming from outside on the grassy area.

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

Away to the window I flew like a flash,
He hurriedly went towards the window.

Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.
He flung wide open the window shutters.

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
The fresh snow on the ground was being illuminated by the moon.

Gave the luster of mid-day to objects below.
The snow was so bright that it made the surroundings as bright as the middle of the day.

When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
The father was amazed by what he saw before him.

But a miniature sleigh, and eight tinny reindeer.
He saw a tiny sleigh being pulled by eight small reindeer.

With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
The driver appeared to be an elderly man with a lot of energy.

I knew in a moment it must be St Nick.
The father quickly understood that this was St. Nicholas.

More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
The reindeer moved very fast, faster than eagles.

And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name!
St. Nicholas was giving orders to the reindeer by whistling and shouting their names.

Now Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!
The reindeer's names were Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, and Vixen.

On, Comet! On, Cupid! on, on Donner and Blitzen!
The other reindeer were named Comet, Cupid, Donner, and Blitzen.

To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
St. Nicholas ordered the reindeer to go to the porch and wall.

Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!
He told them to move quickly and get away as soon as possible.

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
They moved away quickly, like dry leaves being blown in a hurricane.

When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky.
The reindeer could jump up high when they hit an obstacle.

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

With the sleigh full of toys, and St Nicholas too.
St. Nicholas and his belongings were on the sleigh loaded with toys.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
Suddenly, the father heard noise coming from the roof.

The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
The noise was the sound of the reindeer moving around.

As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
As the father turned around and pulled his head inside the room.

Down the chimney St Nicholas came with a bound.
St. Nicholas entered the house via the chimney with a bound.

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
St. Nicholas wore fur clothing from head to toe.

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

A bundle of Toys he had flung on his back,
He was carrying a bag of toys on his back.

And he looked like a peddler, just opening his pack.
He looked like a salesman who had just opened his product bag.

His eyes-how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
St. Nicholas' eyes sparkled, and his dimples looked cheerful.

His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
St. Nicholas' cheeks were red like roses, and his nose was red like a cherry.

His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
He had a funny mouth, which was shaped like a bow.

And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow.
His beard was as white as snow.

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
He was holding the handle of a pipe tightly in his teeth.

And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.
The smoke from the pipe surrounded his head like a wreath.

He had a broad face and a little round belly,
St. Nicholas had a big face and a small, round stomach.

That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly!
When he laughed, his stomach jiggled, like a bowl of jelly.

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
St. Nicholas was happy and joyful, a cheerful elderly elf.

And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself!
The father laughed at the sight of St. Nicholas, involuntarily.

A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
St. Nicholas winked his eye and turned his head.

Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.
This behavior made the father understand that St. Nicholas meant no harm.

He spoke not a word but went straight to his work,
St. Nicholas didn't say anything and got to work immediately.

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

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

And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose!
He nodded his head and left by going up the chimney!

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
St. Nicholas went back to his sleigh and gave a whistle to his team.

And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
He and his team of reindeer dashed away as light as a feather.

But I heard him exclaim, 'ere he drove out of sight,
But the father heard St. Nicholas say before he disappeared from sight,

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