{"id":779,"date":"2017-11-30T16:05:25","date_gmt":"2017-11-30T16:05:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.everywritersresource.com\/poemeveryday\/?p=779"},"modified":"2017-12-01T02:54:19","modified_gmt":"2017-12-01T02:54:19","slug":"twas-the-night-before-christmas-by-clement-clarke-moore","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.everywritersresource.com\/poemeveryday\/twas-the-night-before-christmas-by-clement-clarke-moore\/","title":{"rendered":"Twas the Night Before Christmas by Clement Clarke Moore"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/h1>\n

\"Twas<\/h2>\n

A Visit From St. Nicholas<\/h2>\n

by Clement Clarke Moore<\/p>\n

Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
\nNot a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;
\nThe stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
\nIn hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;
\nThe children were nestled all snug in their beds,
\nWhile visions \"\"<\/a>of sugar-plums danced in their heads;
\nAnd mamma in her kerchief, and I in my cap,
\nHad just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap.<\/p>\n

When out on the lawn there rose such a clatter,
\nI sprang from my bed to see what was the matter,
\nAway to the window I flew like a flash,
\nTore open the shutters and threw up the sash.
\nThe moon, on the breast of the new-fallen snow,
\nGave a lustre of mid-day to objects below;
\nWhen, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
\nBut a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny rein-deer,
\nWith a little old driver, so lively and quick,
\nI knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.
\nMore rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
\nAnd he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;<\/p>\n

“Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!
\nOn! Comet, on! Cupid, on! Dunder and Blitzen!
\nTo the top of the porch, to the top of the wall!
\nNow, dash away, dash away, dash away all!”
\nAs dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
\nWhen they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky,
\nSo, up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
\nWith a sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too.
\nAnd then in a twinkling I heard on the roof,
\nThe prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
\nAs I drew in my head, and was turning around,
\nDown the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.<\/p>\n

He was dressed all in fur from his head to his foot,
\nAnd his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;
\nA bundle of toys he had flung on his back,
\nAnd he looked like a peddler just opening his pack;
\nHis eyes how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
\nHis cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry;<\/p>\n

His droll little month was drawn up like a bow,
\nAnd the beard on his chin was as white as the snow;
\nThe stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
\nAnd the smoke, it encircled his head like a wreath.
\nHe had a broad face, and a little round belly
\nThat shook when he laughed, like a bowl full of jelly.<\/p>\n

He was chubby and plump’a right jolly old elf;
\nAnd I laughed when I saw him in spite of myself.
\nA wink of his eye, and a twist of his head,
\nSoon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.
\nHe spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
\nAnd filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,
\nAnd laying his finger aside of his nose,
\nAnd giving a nod, up the chimney he rose.
\nHe sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
\nAnd away they all flew like the down of a thistle;
\nBut I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,
\n“Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!”<\/p>\n

This poem was originally titled\u00a0A Visit From St. Nicholas by Clement Clarke Moore. It is considered the quintessential poem about Christmas and Santa Claus.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A Visit From St. Nicholas by Clement Clarke Moore Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse; The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there; The children were nestled all snug in their beds,…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3539,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[6,429],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-779","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-1700s","category-christmas-poems"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t