The nig

ght beffore Chrristmas Poem

m Englishh
T
THE NIIGHT BEFORE
B E CHRIISTMASS
by Cleement Clarkke Moore or Henry Livin
ngston

'Twas th
he night beffore Christm
mas, when alll through th
he house

Not a creatuure was stirrring, not eveen a mouse;

Th
he stockings were hung by the chim
mney with caare,

I hopes thaat St. Nichollas soon would be theree;

In

T children
The n were nestleed all snug in their bedss,

Wh
hile visions of sugar-pluums danced in their headds;

And mamma
m in her
h 'kerchieff, and I in my
m cap,

Had just settled down

d for a long
l winter's nap,

When outt on the lawn

n there arose such a clattter,

I sprang frrom the bed to see whatt was the maatter.

Awayy to the wind

dow I flew like
l a flash,

Tore opeen the shutteers and threew up the sash.

The moon
n on the breeast of the new-fallen
n sn
now

Gave th
he lustre of mid-day
m to objects
o below
w,

When, whaat to my wo
ondering eyes should app
pear,

But a miniature sleigh,

s and eight tiny rein
ndeer,

Witth a little oldd driver, so lively

l and quuick,

I knew
k in a moment it muust be St. Niick.

Morre rapid than

n eagles his coursers theey came,

And he whistled,
w andd shouted, and
a called th
hem by name;

"Now, Dasher!
D now
w, Dancer! now,
n Prancer and Vixen
n!

On, Comet! on Cupid! on, Donder

D and
d Blitzen!

To the top of th
he porch! to
o the top of the wall!
Images: Google
le images

English materialls by Veronica Gilhooly © Le

earnwell Oy 2008 TPoem
ww.thelanguag
ww gemenu.com Page 1
The nig
ght beffore Chrristmas Poem
m Englishh
No
ow dash awaay! dash awaay! dash awaay all!"

As dry
d leaves thaat before thee wild hurriccane fly,

When they
t meet with
w an obstaacle, mount to the sky,

So up
u to the house-top the coursers theey flew,

With the sleigh fuull of toys, and

a St. Nich
holas too.

Andd then, in a twinkling, I heard on th

he roof

Thee prancing and

a pawing of
o each littlee hoof.

As I drew
d in my hand,
h and was
w turning around,
a

Down th
he chimney St. Nicholass came with a bound.

H was dresssed all in fuur, from his head to his foot,

He

And his cloth

hes were all tarnished
t wiith ashes and
d soot;

A bunddle of toys hee had flung on his back,

A he lookked like a peeddler just opening

And o his pack.
p

H eyes -- ho
His ow they twin
nkled! his dim
mples how merry!
m

His cheekss were like ro

oses, his nose like a cheerry!

His droll little

l mouth was drawn up like a bo
ow,

A the beaard of his ch

And hin was as wh
hite as the snow;

The stump
s of a pipe
p he held
d tight in his teeth,

A the smoke it encirclled his head like a wreatth;

And

He had a broad
b face and
a a little ro
ound belly,

Th
hat shook, when
w he laugghed like a b
bowlful of jeelly.

He was chuubby and pluump, a right jolly old elff,

A I laughed when I saw

And w him, in sp
pite of myself;

A wink of
o his eye an
nd a twist off his head,

Soon gave me
m to know I had nothiing to dread;
Images: Google
le images

English materialls by Veronica Gilhooly © Le

earnwell Oy 2008 TPoem
ww.thelanguag
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The nig
ght beffore Chrristmas Poem
m Englishh
He spokke not a worrd, but went straight to his
h work,

And filleed all the sto

ockings; then turned with a jerk,

A laying hiis finger asid

And de of his nosse,

Andd giving a no
od, up the chimney he rose;
r

He spraang to his sleeigh, to his team

t gave a whistle,

And aw
way they all flew like thee down of a thistle.

But I heeard him excclaim, ere hee drove out of sight,

"Happyy Christmass to all, and to all a goodd-night."

http:///www.christmas-ttree.com/stories/n
nightbeforechristm
mas.html

What 14 acctivities does St. Nick

k perform in
n the poem
m?

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Imagges: Google images

English materialls by Veronica Gilhooly © Le

earnwell Oy 2008 TPoem
ww.thelanguag
ww gemenu.com Page 3