'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through Japari Park

Not a friend was stirring, not even a shark;

The stockings were hung by the cafe with care,

In hopes that St. Kaban soon would be there;



The friends were nestled all snug in their beds,

While visions of Japari Buns danced in their heads;

And serval in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap,

Had just settled down for a long winter's nap,



When out on the land 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 hand of the new-fallen snow

Gave the leasure of mid-day to objects below,

When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,

But a miniature sleigh, and nine tiny reindeer,



With a little old driver, so lively and quick,

I knew in a moment it must be St. Bag.

More rapid than eagles her coursers they came,

And she whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;



"Now, DASHER! now, DANCER! now, PRANCER and VIXEN!

On, COMET! on CUPID! on, DONDER and BLITZEN and RUDOLPH!

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. Kaban 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. Kaban came with a bound.



She was dressed all in fur, from her head to her foot,

And her clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;

A bundle of toys she had flung on her back,

And she looked like a peddler just opening her pack.



Her eyes -- how they twinkled! her dimples how merry!

Her cheeks were like roses, her nose like a cherry!

Her droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,

And the fake beard of her chin was as white as the snow;



The stump of a pipe she held tight in her teeth,

And the smoke it encircled her head like a wreath;

She had a broad face and a little round belly,

That shook, when she laughed like a bowlful of jelly (She was using a balloon full of jelly duct taped to her belly.



She was giving off the illusion chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,

And I laughed when I saw her, in spite of myself;

A wink of her eye and a twist of her head,

Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;



She spoke not a word, but went straight to her work,

And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,

And laying her finger aside of her nose,

And giving a nod, up the chimney she rose;



She sprang to her sleigh, to her team gave a whistle,

And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.

But I heard her exclaim, ere she drove out of sight,

HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO ALL, AND TO ALL A GOOD-NIGHT!