Twas The Night Before Christmas is one of the most traditional Christmas readings in English speaking countries. Written in 1822 by Clement C. Moore, the poem tells the story of Santa's arrival on Christmas Eve at a typical American household.This poem has been called ” the best-known verses ever written by an American”, and is largely responsible for some of the conceptions of Santa Claus from the mid-nineteenth century to today. It has been set to music and recorded by many artists.
TASKS:
1. Watch the video again, read along and see if you can catch the missing words (also see the hyperlinks for the most difficult words/expressions):
“Twas the
Night Before Christmas”
Twas the
night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a ______________was _______________, not even a mouse.
The ______________ were______________ by the ______________ with care,
In hopes that St Nicholas soon would be there.
The children were all nestled snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their ______________.
And mamma in her ‘kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled down for a long winter’s nap.
When out on the ____________ there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the__________.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the ___________ and threw up the sash.
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 ___________,
But a miniature ____________, and eight tinny ____________.
With a little old driver, so __________ and ____________,
I knew in a moment it must be St Nick.
More rapid than ______________ his coursers they came,
And he __________, and ___________, and called them by name!
"Now Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!On, Comet! On, Cupid! on, on Donner and Blitzen!
To the top of the __________! to the top of the __________!
Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!"
As dry __________ that before the wild _______________ fly,
When they meet with an ____________, mount to the sky.
So up to the house-top the coursers they _____________,
With the _________ full of toys, and St Nicholas too.
And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The dancing and pawing of each little __________.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St Nicholas came with a bound.
He was __________ all in ________, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with _____________ and soot.
A ____________ of toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler, just opening his pack.
His eyes-how they ___________! his _________ how merry!
His __________ were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the ___________ of his __________ was as white as the snow.
The stump of a pipe he held __________ in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.
He had a broad face and a little round __________,
That shook when he __________, like a bowlful of jelly!
He was __________and __________, a right jolly old elf,
And I ___________ when I saw him, in spite of myself!
A __________ of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to __________.
He spoke not a word, but went __________ to his work,
And filled all the stockings, then turned with a ___________.
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a _________, up the chimney he ____________!
He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a __________,
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!"
Not a ______________was _______________, not even a mouse.
The ______________ were______________ by the ______________ with care,
In hopes that St Nicholas soon would be there.
The children were all nestled snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their ______________.
And mamma in her ‘kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled down for a long winter’s nap.
When out on the ____________ there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the__________.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the ___________ and threw up the sash.
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 ___________,
But a miniature ____________, and eight tinny ____________.
With a little old driver, so __________ and ____________,
I knew in a moment it must be St Nick.
More rapid than ______________ his coursers they came,
And he __________, and ___________, and called them by name!
"Now Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!On, Comet! On, Cupid! on, on Donner and Blitzen!
To the top of the __________! to the top of the __________!
Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!"
As dry __________ that before the wild _______________ fly,
When they meet with an ____________, mount to the sky.
So up to the house-top the coursers they _____________,
With the _________ full of toys, and St Nicholas too.
And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The dancing and pawing of each little __________.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St Nicholas came with a bound.
He was __________ all in ________, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with _____________ and soot.
A ____________ of toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler, just opening his pack.
His eyes-how they ___________! his _________ how merry!
His __________ were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the ___________ of his __________ was as white as the snow.
The stump of a pipe he held __________ in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.
He had a broad face and a little round __________,
That shook when he __________, like a bowlful of jelly!
He was __________and __________, a right jolly old elf,
And I ___________ when I saw him, in spite of myself!
A __________ of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to __________.
He spoke not a word, but went __________ to his work,
And filled all the stockings, then turned with a ___________.
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a _________, up the chimney he ____________!
He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a __________,
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!"
2. Check with the complete text here.
4. Read an article by an advanced student called Nowhere for Christmas.
