'twas The Night Before Christmas Lyrics - Singles - Peter, Paul & Mary

'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 the hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there 

The children were nestled all snug in their beds 

While visions of sugar plums danced in their heads 

And mom in her kerchief and I in my 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 with a flash 

Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash 

The moon on the breast of the new fallen snow 

Gave a luster of midday to objects below 

And what to my wondering eyes should appear? 

But a miniature sleigh and eight tiny reindeer 

With a little old driver so lively and quick 

Well, I knew in a moment, it must be St. Nick 

More rapid than eagles, his coursers they came 

And he whistled and he shouted and he called them by name 

"On Dasher, on Dancer, on Prancer and Vixen 

On Comet, on Cupid, on Donner and Blitzen 

To the top of the porch, to the top of the wall 

Now, dash away, dash away, dash away all" 

As dry leaves before the wild hurricane fly 

When they meet with an obstacle mount to the sky 

So up to the rooftop the coursers they flew 

With a sleigh full of toys and St. Nicholas too 

And then in a twinkling, I heard on the roof 

The prancing, the pawing of each little hoof 

As I drew in my head and was turning around 

Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound 

He was dressed all in fur from his head to his foot 

And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot 

A bundle of toys he had flung on his back 

And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack 

His eyes, how they twinkled, his dimples, how merry 

His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry 

His droll little mouth was drawn up in a bow 

And the beard on his chin was as white as the snow 

And the stump of a pipe, he held tight in his teeth 

And the smoke, it encircled his head like a wreath 

He had a broad face and a little round belly 

That shook when he laughed, ho, ho, ho, ho 

Like a bowl full of jelly, ho, ho, ho, ho 

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf 

And I laughed when I saw him in spite of myself 

A wink of his eye and a twist of his head 

Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread 

He spoke not a word but went straight to his work 

Filled all the stockings and turned with a jerk 

And laying a finger to the side of his nose 

And giving a nod up the chimney he rose 

He sprang to his sleigh, and to his team gave a whistle 

And 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, goodnight"