The Night Before Christmas is a beloved story/poem by Clement C. Moore, first published in 1823. It is a classic, a favorite of children, and one of my favorite children’s books too. But, I wondered, how would it have sounded if Mr. Moore had not told the story in rhyme? What if he had just written it as prose? I’ll tell you–it would have lost much of its magic. I couldn’t resist, though, so here it is, with profound apologies to Mr. Moore.
It was Christmas Eve and everybody in the house was asleep: the children, my wife, and even the mice in their little hole in the baseboard. The children had hung their stockings and were, doubtless, dreaming of Christmas candies and such. My wife and I had just snuggled down too, closed our eyes, and drifted off into slumber.
All of a sudden, there was a terrific noise outside in the yard. I jumped up and ran to the window. Opening the shutters, I saw an amazing sight. The moon shining on the snow made everything as light as noon. Then, although it was hard to believe, I saw a small sleigh with eight little reindeer pulling it. The driver had to be none other than St. Nick himself.
His reindeer were fast! He whistled and shouted out their names: “Now, Dasher! Now, Dancer, Now, Prancer and Vixen! On, Comet! On, Cupid! On, Donner and Blitzen!”
They pulled that sleigh right up to the roof with a bunch of toys in the back and St. Nicholas in the front. Just about as soon as I heard them up there, down the chimney came the good saint. He was covered in ashes and soot and he had a bundle of toys on his back.
I’d never seen anyone like this round, jolly old elf. His eyes twinkled, his nose and cheeks were rosy, he had dimples when he smiled and a bow-shaped mouth. His beard was as white as the snow outside and he held a pipe in his teeth, the smoke forming a wreath around his head. When he laughed, which was often, his round little belly shook like jelly. He was so plump and happy that I had to laugh too.
He winked one eye and nodded, letting me know I had nothing to fear from this unusual sight. He didn’t say anything, but filled the stockings with candy and toys, then turned around and went straight back up that chimney, just the way he had come down!
He jumped into his sleigh and whistled to his team of reindeer. They rose up and flew off my roof like the down of a thistle does. I watched until he and his sleigh were out of sight, but I heard him shout as he drove away, “Happy Christmas to all and to all a good night!”
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