Some where around grade 3 I memorized this. I stiil remember the first 2 lines!!
'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house (yup, Christmas tomorrow)
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse; (well maybe one or two in our house)
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, (whats a chimney grampa)?
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there; (santa is a saint??)
The children were nestled all snug in their beds, (yah right!)
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads; (Old John, whats a sugar plum?)
And mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap, (can you picture Roo in her sleeping kerchief?)
Had just settled down for a long winter's nap, (I love naps)
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter, (that's a good word, clatter)
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter. I haven't sprang for about 30 years)
Away to the window I flew like a flash, (hey, I can fly!)
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash. (what's a sash grampa?)
The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow (ooohhh, breasts of snow)
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below, (lustre, another good word)
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear, I don't see so well any more)
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer, (why tiny?)
With a little old driver, so lively and quick, (old and still quick...that's good)
I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick. (yah, I guess he is a saint!)
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came, (I thought they were reindeer...what's a courser grampa?)
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name; (quiet, the kids are sleeping)
"Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen! (very strange names eh?)
On, Comet! on Cupid! on, Donder and Blitzen! (yah, easy to remember stuff that rhymes)
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall! (broke my porch and my wall, fuckers!)
Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!" (they just got here!?)
As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly, (no hurricanes in St Thomas, thank you)
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky, (leaves? In the winter?)
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew, (and then broke the house top too)
With the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too. (can't be many toys in a tiny sleigh)
And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof (and my hearing's even worse
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof. (careful with my new shingles!)
As I drew in my head, and was turning around, (smashed my head on the sash! Ow!)
Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound. (I'm trying to imagine bounding down a chimney)
He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot, (that must be a little warm)
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot; (not a wonder I guess)
A bundle of toys he had flung on his back, (how do you know they were toys?)
And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack. (until he opened his pack?)
His eyes -- how they twinkled! his dimples how merry! (dimples?)
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry! (he didn't have any pants on??)
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow, (wtf)
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow; (no snow here)
The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth, (no smokin in our house Santa!)
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath; ( I didn't think that saints smoke, next thing Jesus will too)
He had a broad face and a little round belly, (Santa is a broad? Who knew?)
That shook, when he laughed like a bowlful of jelly. (too many sugar plums!)
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf, (I thought he was Santa...now he's an elf?)
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself; (I hope he's not sensitive)
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head, (he better not wink at my wife!)
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread; (after all he's a saint I guess)
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work, (the first thing I really admire about him, he works for a living)
And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk, (what was Steve Martin doing there?)
And laying his finger aside of his nose, (magic? wow!)
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose; (I wish I could do that)
He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle, (I guess if this fat guy can "sprang", I could work on it too)
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle. (a little gentler on my roof at least)
But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight, (I thought he flew?? Now he's driving?)
"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night." (from me as well as Santa)
(run 24.3kms , 2:03:36)
Love
Peter
'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house (yup, Christmas tomorrow)
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse; (well maybe one or two in our house)
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, (whats a chimney grampa)?
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there; (santa is a saint??)
The children were nestled all snug in their beds, (yah right!)
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads; (Old John, whats a sugar plum?)
And mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap, (can you picture Roo in her sleeping kerchief?)
Had just settled down for a long winter's nap, (I love naps)
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter, (that's a good word, clatter)
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter. I haven't sprang for about 30 years)
Away to the window I flew like a flash, (hey, I can fly!)
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash. (what's a sash grampa?)
The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow (ooohhh, breasts of snow)
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below, (lustre, another good word)
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear, I don't see so well any more)
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer, (why tiny?)
With a little old driver, so lively and quick, (old and still quick...that's good)
I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick. (yah, I guess he is a saint!)
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came, (I thought they were reindeer...what's a courser grampa?)
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name; (quiet, the kids are sleeping)
"Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen! (very strange names eh?)
On, Comet! on Cupid! on, Donder and Blitzen! (yah, easy to remember stuff that rhymes)
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall! (broke my porch and my wall, fuckers!)
Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!" (they just got here!?)
As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly, (no hurricanes in St Thomas, thank you)
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky, (leaves? In the winter?)
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew, (and then broke the house top too)
With the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too. (can't be many toys in a tiny sleigh)
And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof (and my hearing's even worse
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof. (careful with my new shingles!)
As I drew in my head, and was turning around, (smashed my head on the sash! Ow!)
Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound. (I'm trying to imagine bounding down a chimney)
He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot, (that must be a little warm)
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot; (not a wonder I guess)
A bundle of toys he had flung on his back, (how do you know they were toys?)
And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack. (until he opened his pack?)
His eyes -- how they twinkled! his dimples how merry! (dimples?)
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry! (he didn't have any pants on??)
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow, (wtf)
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow; (no snow here)
The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth, (no smokin in our house Santa!)
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath; ( I didn't think that saints smoke, next thing Jesus will too)
He had a broad face and a little round belly, (Santa is a broad? Who knew?)
That shook, when he laughed like a bowlful of jelly. (too many sugar plums!)
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf, (I thought he was Santa...now he's an elf?)
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself; (I hope he's not sensitive)
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head, (he better not wink at my wife!)
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread; (after all he's a saint I guess)
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work, (the first thing I really admire about him, he works for a living)
And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk, (what was Steve Martin doing there?)
And laying his finger aside of his nose, (magic? wow!)
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose; (I wish I could do that)
He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle, (I guess if this fat guy can "sprang", I could work on it too)
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle. (a little gentler on my roof at least)
But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight, (I thought he flew?? Now he's driving?)
"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night." (from me as well as Santa)
(run 24.3kms , 2:03:36)
Love
Peter
Merry Christmas Pete
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