1
00:00:00,280 --> 00:00:02,688
(festive music)

2
00:00:02,688 --> 00:00:06,438
- [Narrator] Paper Puppet
Playhouse presents:

3
00:00:07,475 --> 00:00:10,225
'Twas the night before Christmas.

4
00:00:11,652 --> 00:00:13,588
'Twas the night before Christmas,

5
00:00:13,588 --> 00:00:15,688
when all through the house

6
00:00:15,688 --> 00:00:17,636
not a creature was stirring,

7
00:00:17,636 --> 00:00:19,053
not even a mouse;

8
00:00:20,068 --> 00:00:23,560
The stockings were hung
by the chimney with care

9
00:00:23,560 --> 00:00:27,477
in hopes that St. Nicholas
soon would be there;

10
00:00:28,944 --> 00:00:32,380
The children were nestled
all snug in their beds,

11
00:00:32,380 --> 00:00:36,804
while visions of sugar-plums
danced in their heads;

12
00:00:36,804 --> 00:00:38,648
and mamma in her kerchief,

13
00:00:38,648 --> 00:00:40,488
and I in my cap,

14
00:00:40,488 --> 00:00:44,627
had just settled down
for a long winter's nap.

15
00:00:44,627 --> 00:00:48,318
When out on the lawn there
arose such a clatter,

16
00:00:48,318 --> 00:00:52,322
I sprang from my bed to
see what was the matter.

17
00:00:52,322 --> 00:00:55,572
Away to the window I flew like a flash,

18
00:00:56,762 --> 00:01:00,512
tore open the shutters
and threw up the sash.

19
00:01:03,590 --> 00:01:06,661
The moon on the breast
of the new- fallen snow

20
00:01:06,661 --> 00:01:10,328
gave the luster of
mid-day to objects below,

21
00:01:11,390 --> 00:01:15,514
When, what to my wondering
eyes should appear,

22
00:01:15,514 --> 00:01:19,514
But a miniature sleigh,
and eight tiny reindeer.

23
00:01:21,078 --> 00:01:24,542
With a little old driver,
so lively and quick,

24
00:01:24,542 --> 00:01:27,792
I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.

25
00:01:29,510 --> 00:01:32,766
More rapid than angels
his coursers they came,

26
00:01:32,766 --> 00:01:34,730
and he whistled, and shouted,

27
00:01:34,730 --> 00:01:37,338
and called them by name:

28
00:01:37,338 --> 00:01:41,990
"Now, Dasher! Now, Dancer!
Now, Prancer and Vixen!

29
00:01:41,990 --> 00:01:45,740
On, Comet! On, Cupid!
On, Donder and Blitzen!

30
00:01:47,074 --> 00:01:48,676
To the top of the porch!

31
00:01:48,676 --> 00:01:50,434
To the top of the wall!

32
00:01:50,434 --> 00:01:52,026
Now dash away!

33
00:01:52,026 --> 00:01:54,193
Dash away! Dash away all!"

34
00:01:56,062 --> 00:01:59,926
So up to the house-top,
the coursers they flew,

35
00:01:59,926 --> 00:02:01,726
with the sleigh full of toys,

36
00:02:01,726 --> 00:02:03,476
and St. Nicholas too.

37
00:02:04,518 --> 00:02:06,222
And then, in a twinkling,

38
00:02:06,222 --> 00:02:08,445
I heard on the roof

39
00:02:08,445 --> 00:02:13,169
the prancing and pawing
of eight little hooves.

40
00:02:13,169 --> 00:02:14,818
As I drew in my head,

41
00:02:14,818 --> 00:02:16,290
and was turning around,

42
00:02:16,290 --> 00:02:20,290
down the chimney St.
Nicholas came with a bound.

43
00:02:22,126 --> 00:02:24,002
He was dressed all in fur,

44
00:02:24,002 --> 00:02:26,615
from his head to his foot,

45
00:02:26,615 --> 00:02:31,615
and his clothes were all
tarnished with ashes and soot;

46
00:02:31,810 --> 00:02:34,778
A bundle of toys he flung on his back,

47
00:02:34,778 --> 00:02:39,028
and he looked like a peddler
just opening his pack.

48
00:02:41,080 --> 00:02:43,227
His eyes, how they twinkled!

49
00:02:43,227 --> 00:02:45,060
His dimples how merry!

50
00:02:46,806 --> 00:02:49,147
His cheeks were like roses,

51
00:02:49,147 --> 00:02:51,064
his nose like a cherry!

52
00:02:53,771 --> 00:02:57,984
His droll little mouth
was drawn up like a bow,

53
00:02:57,984 --> 00:03:02,234
and the beard of his chin
was as white as the snow;

54
00:03:05,004 --> 00:03:06,608
He was chubby and plump,

55
00:03:06,608 --> 00:03:08,632
a right jolly old elf,

56
00:03:08,632 --> 00:03:10,072
and I laughed when I saw him,

57
00:03:10,072 --> 00:03:11,655
in spite of myself;

58
00:03:13,360 --> 00:03:16,484
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,

59
00:03:16,484 --> 00:03:20,151
soon gave me to know I
had nothing to dread;

60
00:03:21,180 --> 00:03:22,841
He spoke not a word,

61
00:03:22,841 --> 00:03:25,080
but went straight to his work,

62
00:03:25,080 --> 00:03:27,060
and filled all the stockings;

63
00:03:27,060 --> 00:03:29,060
then turned with a jerk.

64
00:03:30,102 --> 00:03:33,658
And laying his finger aside of his nose,

65
00:03:33,658 --> 00:03:35,176
and giving a nod,

66
00:03:35,176 --> 00:03:37,093
up the chimney he rose;

67
00:03:40,687 --> 00:03:42,969
He sprang to his sleigh,

68
00:03:42,969 --> 00:03:45,955
to his team gave a whistle,

69
00:03:45,955 --> 00:03:50,467
and away they all flew
like the down of a thistle.

70
00:03:50,467 --> 00:03:52,359
But I heard him exclaim,

71
00:03:52,359 --> 00:03:54,279
ere he drove out of sight,

72
00:03:54,279 --> 00:03:56,619
"Happy Christmas to all,

73
00:03:56,619 --> 00:03:58,702
and to all a good-night."

74
00:04:00,140 --> 00:04:00,973
Ho-ho-ho.

75
00:04:02,467 --> 00:04:03,800
Merry Christmas!

76
00:04:09,116 --> 00:04:11,866
(cheerful music)