Therefore all seasons shall be sweet to thee,
Whether summer clothe the general earth
With greeness, or the redbreast sit and sing
Betwixt the tufts of snow on the bare branch
Of mossy apple-tree, while the nigh thatch
Smokes in the sun-thaw; whether the eave-drops fall
Heard only in the trances of the blast,
Or if the secret ministry of frost
Shall hang them up in silent icicles,
Quietly shining to the quiet Moon.



Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Merry Christmas!



The Night Before Christmas was always my children's bedtime story on Christmas Eve.
So for all of us who still feel the magic of this night......

'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 mamma 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 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 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 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 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 hand, 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 of 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 bowlful 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 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 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."




May I wish all of you a very Happy Christmas!

23 comments:

Sal said...

I have always loved that poem!
A very happy Christmas to you!
xxx Sal xxx ;-)

Von said...

A very merry Christmas to you too!

rel said...

Merry Christmas Rowan!
rel

Anonymous said...

Merry Christmas Rowan ... :0)

Gracie said...

A joyful and peaceful Christmas to you too, and to your family.
Gracie at http://mylittleplace.blog.com

Anonymous said...

Beautifully done Rowan. Your blog posts always introduce thoughts and intrigue and I look forward to what you will impart to us next year. Warmest wishes, liZZie XX

PAT said...

Merry Christmas to you and your family and all the best in 2010!

Penny said...

Lovely! I can now go to bed and wait, but here we expect that he has turned over the reindeer for six white boomers (kangaroos) as it is too hot for the reindeer.
Merry Christmas to you and yours.

Anonymous said...

Thank you for all your lovely posts, and have a very merry Christmas!

Gretel said...

Wishing you peaceful seasons greetings - I have so much enjoyed your wanderings through the year.

Rosie said...

Lovely - now I feel the magic of Christmas. Hope you and your family have a wonderful Christmas Rowan and best wishes for the New Year:)

Anonymous said...

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year Rowan.

Unknown said...

Hello Rowan,

Brings back that little bit of magic; I'll keep a look out tonight!

Merry Christmas to you.

Pomona said...

Love that! Have a very happy Christmas!

Pomona x

Wanda..... said...

Lovely illustrations Rowan...I have a cloth book of this Night Before Christmas, that I sewed many years ago.
Have a Joyful Christmas with your Family!

Lynda (Granny K) said...

It's here at last!

Blessings of the season to you and yours Rowan.

Love, Lynda

Janet said...

I still love that story/poem! Merry Christmas to you and yours and a very Happy New Year!!

Bovey Belle said...

One of my favourites too. Merry Christmas from me, and looking forward to seeing you again in the New Year.

Thimbleanna said...

I love that poem. I hope you had a very wonderful Christmas Rowan!

JoAnn ( Scene Through My Eyes) said...

The happiest of christmases to you too.

Yarrow said...

A very Merry Christmas and magical New Year to you and your family, Rowan :)

Granny Sue said...

Merry Christmas, my friend! I hope your day was beautiful and filled with light and laughter. My veery best wishes for the coming year for you and those you love.

Julie said...

You may have read one of my Christmas posts last year, in which I said I had to recite this poem for a school Christmas program. So of course it is dear to my heart too.