The Night Before Christmas Song – English Lyrics

• By: Bryant Oden
• Album: The Night Before Christmas Song

Lyrics & Translation

Discover the magic of a classic Christmas tale through music! Bryant Oden's "The Night Before Christmas Song" is a wonderful way to learn the story and vocabulary of this beloved poem. The song's clear and lively presentation of the narrative makes it an enjoyable and effective tool for language learners to immerse themselves in a cornerstone of Christmas tradition.

[English]

'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 lustre 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

That shook when he laughed like a bowlful 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."

Happy Christmas to all and to all a good night.

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
night /naɪt/ A1	noun - the period of time when the sun is below the horizon
Christmas /ˈkrɪsməs/ A1	noun - the annual Christian festival celebrating Christ's birth, held on December 25
house /haʊs/ A1	noun - a building for human habitation
stirring /ˈstɜːrɪŋ/ B1	verb - to move or cause to move slightly
stockings /ˈstɒkɪŋz/ B1	noun - a close-fitting covering for the foot and leg
chimney /ˈtʃɪmni/ B1	noun - a structure that allows smoke from a fire to escape through a building
children /ˈtʃɪldrən/ A1	noun - young human beings below the age of puberty
visions /ˈvɪʒənz/ B2	noun - the ability to see; sight
heads /hedz/ A1	noun - the part of the body above the neck where the brain is
nap /næp/ A2	noun - a short sleep, especially during the day
clatter /ˈklætər/ B1	noun - a number of objects striking together with a rattling sound
window /ˈwɪndəʊ/ A1	noun - an opening in a wall or roof of a building or vehicle
moon /muːn/ A1	noun - the natural satellite of the earth
snow /snəʊ/ A1	noun - atmospheric water vapor frozen into ice crystals
sleigh /sleɪ/ B1	noun - a vehicle drawn by horses or other animals, especially over snow
reindeer /ˈreɪndɪər/ B1	noun - a type of deer with large antlers, that lives in cold northern areas
eyes /aɪz/ A1	noun - the organs of sight
mouth /maʊθ/ A1	noun - the opening in the lower part of the face, surrounded by the lips, through which food is taken in and from which speech and other sounds are emitted.
face /feɪs/ A1	noun - the front part of a person's head, from the forehead to the chin