Seasons Greetings

'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the library

Not a creature was stirring, not even a cavy;

Louie and Carmine’s stockings were hung by the chimney with care,

In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;


The guinea pigs were nestled all snug in their beds,

While visions of carrots danced in their heads;



Louie in his cape, and Carmine in his cap,

Had just settled down for a long evenings nap,

When out on the field there arose such a clatter,

Louie sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.



Away to the window Carmine flew like a flash,

Opening the shutters and threw up the sash.

The moon on the hill of the new-fallen snow

Gave the luster of mid-day to objects below,

When, what to their wondering eyes should appear,

But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny guinea pigs,

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 foot.

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 Holidays to all, and to all a good-night."