Misc Traditional – Twas The Night Before Christmas (Ukulele)

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

       C                          D
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.

         G
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care

    C                       D
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there.

      G
The children were nestled all snug in their beds

        C                     D
While visions of sugar plums danced in their heads.

     G
And Mamma in her kerchief and I in my cap

      C                       D
Had just settled down for a long winter's nap.

      G
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,

    C                        D
I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter.

 G
Away to the window I flew like a flash,

      C                         D
Tore open the shutters, and threw up the sash.

    G
The Moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow,

          C                  D
Gave the luster of midday to objects below.

     G
When what to my wondering eyes should appear,

      C                      D
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer.

        G
With a little old driver so lovely and quick,

   C                  D
I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.

      G
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,

         C                         D
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name.

         B
"Now, Dasher! Now, Dancer! Now, Prancer and Vixen!

     G                    A
On, Comet! On Cupid! On, Donder and Blitzen!

       B
To the top of the porch! To the top of the wall!

     G                      A
Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!"

   G
As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,

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

   G
So up to the housetop the coursers they flew,

          C                       D
With the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too.

    G
And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof,

       C                   D
The pracing and pawing of each little hoof.

     G
As I drew in my head and was turrning around,

         C                      D
Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.

       G
He was dressed all in fur from his head to his foor,

        C                                D
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot.

   G
A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,

         C                         D
And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.

     B
His eyes, how they twinkled! His dimples, how merry!

      G                         A
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!

      B
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,

        G                         A
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow.

       G
The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,

        C                         D
And the smoke, it encircled his head like a wreath;

   G
He had a broad face and a little round belly

      C                            D
That shook, when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly.

        G
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,

       C                         D
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself.

   G
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head

      C                      D
Soon gave me to know I head nothing to dread.

   G
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,

       C                           D
And filled all the stockings, then turned with a jerk.

     G
And laying his finger aside of his nose,

     C                    D
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose.

    G
He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,

     C                           D
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.

        G
But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight.

       C                       D
Merry Christmas to all, and to all a Good Night!