The Night Before Christmas__ PPt.pptVIP

‘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 beds, while visions of sugar plums danced in their heads. And mamma in her kerchief and I in my cap had just settled down for a long winter’s nap, The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below, when, what to my wondering eyes should appear, but a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer. With a little old driver so lively and quick, I knew in a moment it must beSt. Nick.More rapid than eagles his coursers they came, and he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name. Now, Dasher! Now Dancer! Now 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 that before the wild hurricane fly, when they meet with an obstacle mount to the sky, so up to the house-top the coursers they flew, with the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too. And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof the prancing and 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 hissack. His eyes – how they twinkled! His dimples, how merry! His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry! The stump of his 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 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 and laying his finger aside of his nose, and giving a nod, up the ch