The Harry Simeone Chorale - 'Twas The Night Before Christmas lyrics

It 'twas the night before Christmas And 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 wee little beds While visions of sugarplums Danced in their wee little heads And ma in her kerchief And pa in his cap Had just settled down For a long winter's nap When out on the lawn There arose such a clatter I sprang from my bed To see what was the matter Away to the window I flew like a flash Tore open the shutters Threw up the sash Then what to my wandering eyes Should appear But a miniature sleigh And eight tiny reindeer With a little ol' driver So lively and quick That I knew right away That it must be St. Nick More rapid than eagles His courses they came He whistled and shouted And called them by name Now Dasher Now Dancer Now Prancer Now Vixen On Comet On Cupid On Donner An' Blitzen' To the top of the porch To the top of the wall Dash away, dash away Dash away Dash away all So, up to the housetop The courses they flew With a sleigh full of toys And St. Nicholas too And then in a twinkling I heard on the roof All the clattering noise Of each galloping hoof All bundled in fur From his head to his foot His clothes were all tarnished With ashes and soot I drew in my head and Was turning around When down the chimney He came with a thud A bag full of toys He had flung on his back And he looked like a little old peddler Opening his pack His eyes how they twinkled so gay His dimples how merry are they His cheeks were like roses when kissed by the sun His nose like a cherry all wrinkled with fun His drawl little mouth Was drawn up like a bow The beard on his chin Was as white as the snow The stump of a little old pipe He held tight in his teeth And the smoke went around and around and around his head Like a wreath He was so jolly and plump A right jolly old, jolly old elf And I laughed and I laughed and I laughed When I saw him in spite of myself He had a broad face (ho, ho, ho) And a little round belly (hee, hee, hee) That shook when he laughed (ha, ha, ha) Like a bowl full of jelly (ha, ha) He gave me a wink of his eye And a twist of his head I chuckled and smiled I knew all the while I had nothing to dread He spoke not a word But went straight to his work He filled all the stockings Then turned with a jerk An' laying a finger Aside of his nose An' giving a nod Up the chimney he rose He sprang to his sleigh To his team gave a whistle An' away they all flew Like the down of a thistle But I heard him exclaim As he drove out of sight "Merry Christmas to all And to all goodnight" 'Tis the night after Christmas And all through the house Not a creature is stirring Not even a mouse The presents are scattered And broken I fear And St. Nicholas Won't come again for a year The children are nestled All snug in their wee little beds While memories of sugarplums Dance in their wee little heads While ma in her kerchief While pa in his cap Are settled at last For a long winter's nap Goodnight