A Visit From St. Nicholas ('Twas The Night Before Christmas)

This is Louis Satchmo Armstrong Talking to all the kids From all over the world At Christmastime '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 While visions of sugar plums danced in their heads And mama in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap Had just settled our brains for a long winter's nap When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter Away to the window, I flew like a flash Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow Gave the luster of midday 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 be St. 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, Donder 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 housetop, the coursers they flew With the sleigh full of Toys, and St. Nicholas too And then, in a twinkle, I heard on the roof The prancing and the pawing of each little hoof As I drew 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 like a bow And the beard on his chin was as white as the snow 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, like a bowl of jelly 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 that I had nothing to dread He spoke not a word but went straight to his work And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk And laying his finger aside of his nose And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose He sprang to his sleigh, to his team he gave a whistle And away they all flew like the down of a thistle But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight "Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!" A very good night And there goes your Satchmo Armstrong Thank you