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A Visit From St. Nicholas: Clement Clarke Moore
‘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 down for a long winter’s nap, When out on the lawn 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 breast of the new-fallen snow gave the luster of mid-day to objects below, When, what to my wondering eyes should appear, but a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer, 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 hoof. 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, which 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, 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, as he drove out of sight. “HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO ALL, AND TO ALL A GOOD-NIGHT.”
A Christmas Carol: Charles Dickens
A Christmas Carol is a popular novella created by the great English author Charles Dickens. It was first published by Chapman & Hall on 19 December 1843. The story narrates the transformation of a wealthy businessman, Ebenezer Scrooge, from a miser old sinner to a magnanimous tender hearted gentleman, influenced by the visits of the ghosts of Jacob Marley, Christmas Past, Present and Yet to Come. The novella met with instant success and critical acclaim. The tale has been…
The Gift Of The Magi: O. Henry
“The Gift of the Magi” is a popular short story written by O. Henry which narrates the life of a young married couple and how they find a way of buying secret Christmas gifts for each other with very little money. Being an emotional story with a moral lesson about gift-giving, it has been one of the most popular of stories for adaptations for a long time, especially for presentation during the Christmas season. The plot and its “twist ending” are well-known, and the ending is generally considered to be an exhibition of situational irony.
