Toys for Joy: 'Twas the night before Christmas' poem shares message of wonder

Editor's note: In honor of these final days before Christmas, we are publishing the immortal words of poet Clement Clarke Moore. Merry Christmas, from our Pocono Record family to yours. There's still time to donate to our Toys for Joy annual campaign! Help us make a little Christmas magic.

'A Visit from St. Nicholas'

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

Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,

In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;

The children were nestled all snug in their beds;

While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;

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

Had just settled our brains for a long winter's nap,

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,

I sprang from my 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 breast of the new-fallen snow,

Gave a lustre of midday to objects below,

When what to my wondering eyes did appear,

But a miniature sleigh and eight tiny rein-deer,

With a little old driver so lively and quick,

I knew in a moment he 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, Donner and Blitzen!

To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!

Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!"

As leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,

When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky;

So up to the housetop 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 hoof.

As I drew in my head, 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 on 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 bowl full 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 Christmas to all, and to all a good night!”

There's still time to donate to Toys for Joy

This holiday season, the Pocono Record has partnered with AllOne for our annual Toys for Joy fundraising campaign. The partnership allows the public to make donations online for the first time.

Donations must be made online, by check or money order only. No cash can be accepted. The Pocono Record will accept donations into the new year, due to any potential delays with the United States Postal Service.

To donate online, go to formstack.io/21E47.

Checks must be made out to AllOne Charities and mailed to 83 East Union St., Wilkes Barre, PA 18701. Donors get their name and donation printed in the paper. Donations received after Dec. 20 will appear in the paper next week.

We thank you, our dear readers, for your generous donations. Every dollar counts!

Money raised will benefit the Pleasant Valley Ecumenical Network, the Salvation Army, and Pocono Services for Families and Children. These organizations do their best to serve Monroe County families, and you can help them create a magical Christmas for a local family in need.

Donations as of Dec. 20

Last week's donations: Help create Christmas magic for a Monroe County family

Dec. 9: You can help ease a Monroe County family's holiday woes

Dec. 2: Donations arrive at the Pocono Record as Giving Tuesday kicks off season

$50- Leo Bonisese Jr.

$100- Autumn Scott: Merry Christmas to the children from, Kyra, Brent, Russell V & Nick. In memory of Marian Coffman and Ester & Russell Scott Our Great Grandparents

$50- Dawn Arnst: In memory of Ronald & Mary Dippre From Tim & Dawn Arnst

$25- Nancy Gargone: In memory Bob Gargone, Sr.

$200- Don Transue

$100- Donna Smith: In memory of Franklin J. Smith

$50- Ronald and Marigene Shick

$25- Candice Ace: In memory of Mitchell by Jonathan and Elliott

$50- Robert Rossick: In Memory of Ron Bouchard

$35- Joan Goode: Merry Christmas

$300- Stroud Twp. Volunteer Fire Dept.

$2- B. Jones

$50- Donna Warner: In loving memory of husband Earl Warner

Donations to date: $3,079.00

This article originally appeared on Pocono Record: There's still time to help Monroe County families