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(1823) A Visit from St. Nicholas by Clement Clarke Moore
(1) 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;
(2) 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,
(3) Then 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.
(4) 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,
(5) 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:
(6) 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!"
(7) 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.
(8) 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.
(9) 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.
(10) 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;
(11) 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.
(12) 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;
(13) 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;
(14) 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."
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EXAMPLE: 20 MINUTE TIMED STUDENT ESSAY
Name: Kitty (slightly edited by Mrs. Cortez)
Date: 2022/12/18（China Time)
Class: PENN CLASS
CLASSWORK
Human beings love stories. There are some stories that stand the test of time, and they inspire more stories. One such story is the poem, ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas.
This is a magnificent poem about Santa Claus, and it was written in 1823. Although we call him Santa Claus, he was called Saint Nicholas when this was poem was written. Giving money, especially to poor people on Christmas day, St. Nick. usually wore red, similar to our modern day Santa Claus.
This poem is about a dad waking up to find Santa Claus landing on the roof, delivering presents, and then flying away in his sleigh pulled by eight reindeer. The description was absolutely astonishing and amazing! The author used a lot of similes to describe Santa Claus, like his "bowlike smile." After Clement Clarke Moore wrote this poem, it inspired a ballet and a popular song.
That ballet inspired by Moore's poem is The Nutcracker. In 1891 The Nutcracker premiered in Russia. Although it did not became popular worldwide until the mid to late 1900s, today it is the most popular Christmas ballet. The line of Moore's poem that is most obviously connected to The Nutcracker is: ". . . visions of sugarplums danced in their heads." There is even a solo in The Nutcracker called, the "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy."
Can you believe that the song, The Red Nosed Reindeer, was also inspired by ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas? “Now, Dasher! Now, Dancer! Now, Prancer and Vixen! On, Comet! on, Cupid! on, Donder and Blitzen!” The beginning of this song uses these very names and in this exact order. Today most children in America know this song, add fun echoes to this song, and smile when it plays. Who knew this would happen?
Clement Clarke Moore's ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas is an absolutely fabulous poem! It has also worked its way into dance and music. Because of this poem, the world has many additional creative classics! This is what happens when a good story inspires the imagination.
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