– English Lyrics

Lyrics & Translation

[English]

It was the night before Christmas and

all through the block, not a creature

was stirring except for Woodstock.

His stalking was hung off his nest with

great care in hopes that St. Nicholas

soon would be there.

The wee bird was snuggled up warm in his

bed while visions of sugar plums danced

in his head.

>> Wait a minute. Why would a bird dream

about sugar plums? Follow-up question.

What's a sugar plum?

>> I suppose it's a plum with sugar.

>> That makes sense.

What's a plum?

>> Uh, it's like a juicy prune.

>> I see. And a prune is

>> Let's just get back to the story.

[snorts]

>> Merry Christmas. I see you found your

present, Snoopy. I'm proud of you for

waiting. You can open it now. I hope you

like it.

>> [laughter]

>> What kind of present is that?

>> It's a box inside a box inside another

box inside another box.

>> Okay, I get the idea.

>> There's nothing that Snoopy loves more

than opening gifts. It doesn't matter

what's inside.

Merry Christmas, old pal.

>> I knew it.

>> Looks like it was definitely worth the

wait. I wonder if there's anything for

me.

Wait,

wait for [cheering] me.

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
stirring /ˈstɜːrɪŋ/ A2	verb - to move or cause to move slightly
stalking /ˈstɔːkɪŋ/ B1	verb - to follow or observe someone persistently
nest /nɛst/ A1	noun - a structure built by birds to lay eggs
care /kɛər/ A1	noun - attention and concern for someone or something
hopes /hoʊps/ A1	noun - a feeling of expectation and desire
snuggled /ˈsnʌɡəld/ B1	verb - to position oneself comfortably and cozily
visions /ˈvɪʒənz/ A2	noun - something seen in a dream or imagination
sugar /ˈʃʊɡər/ A1	noun - a sweet substance used in food
plums /plʌmz/ A1	noun - a juicy fruit with a stone inside
juicy /ˈdʒuːsi/ A2	adjective - containing a lot of juice
prune /prun/ A2	noun - a dried plum
present /ˈprɛzənt/ A1	noun - a gift
waiting /ˈweɪtɪŋ/ A1	verb - to stay in one place until something happens
opening /ˈoʊpənɪŋ/ A1	verb - to move something to create an entrance
worth /wɜːrθ/ A2	adjective - having a value

Key Grammar Structures

• It was the night before Christmas and all through the block, not a creature was stirring except for Woodstock.

  ➔ Past simple (negative) + inversion

  ➔ The phrase "not a creature was stirring" uses a negative subject with the verb in the past simple, creating a slight inversion for emphasis.

• His stalking was hung up his nest with great care in hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there.

  ➔ Passive voice (past simple) + 'in hopes that' clause

  ➔ "was hung" is the passive form of "hang" in the past simple, and the phrase "in hopes that" introduces a purpose clause.

• The wee bird was snuggled up warm in his bed while visions of sugar plums danced in his head.

  ➔ Past simple passive + 'while' temporal clause

  ➔ "was snuggled" is a passive construction in the past simple, and "while" introduces a simultaneous action.

• Why would a bird dream about sugar plums?

  ➔ Modal verb 'would' for hypothetical question

  ➔ "would" expresses a speculative or imagined situation: "Why would a bird dream…?"

• I suppose it's a plum with sugar.

  ➔ Present simple + contraction "it's"

  ➔ "it's" is the contracted form of "it is", used in the present simple to state a belief.

• There's nothing that Snoopy loves more than opening gifts.

  ➔ Relative clause + gerund as object of preposition

  ➔ "that Snoopy loves" is a relative clause modifying "nothing", and "opening" (gerund) follows the preposition "than".

• It doesn't matter what’s inside.

  ➔ Negative present simple + dummy subject "it"

  ➔ "It" is a dummy subject; the real subject is the clause "what’s inside".

• I hope you like it.

  ➔ Present simple + object clause after verb "hope"

  ➔ "hope" is followed by a that‑clause (here omitted) functioning as the object: "you like it".