The Night Before Christmas CBeebies Bedtime Stories

Gosh, what a lot of baubles on the tree. There are one, two, three...

Hello. I'm Simon. Merry Christmas. Are you having a lovely Christmas?

I was counting the baubles, making sure that they're all still there,

after the excitement on Christmas Eve.

A special visitor arrived, someone with lots of different names,

Pere Noel, Babbo Natale, Kris Kringle,

but you probably know him as Father Christmas or Santa Claus.

Tonight's bedtime story was written a long time ago,

when Father Christmas was known as St Nicholas.

Let me tell you Twas The Night Before Christmas

by Clement C Moore and John Jove.

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 our brains for a long winter's nap

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter

I sprang from my 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 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, 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 pedlar 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 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, 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!"

That story was called Twas The Night Before Christmas.

I think Father Christmas knocked some of the baubles off the tree

when he arrived on Christmas Eve.

While I put them back, it's time for you to go to bed

and dream of St Nicholas and his reindeer.

I'll see you soon for another story. Goodnight.

Now, where does this one go?

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