Adapted from "The Night Before Christmas" by Clement Clarke Moore:
'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the RVA, not a creature was stirring, not even a flying squirrel. The stockings were hung by the gas chimney with care, in hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there.
The children were nestled all snug in their beds, while visions of baseball teams danced in their heads. And mamma in her kerchief, and I in my cap, had just settled our brains for a short foggy nap.
When out on Broad Street there arose such a clatter, I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter. Away to the window I flew like a river rat, tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.
The moon was just a haze on the clouds of the fog, gave a mystery glow 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 courses they came, and he whistled and shouted and called them by name:
"Now, Lee! Now, Davis! Now, Stonewall and J.E.B.! On, Maury! On, Arthur! On, Ukrops and Altria! 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 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 sweat and soot; a bundle of toys he had flung on his back, and he looked like a begger just opening his pack. His eyes- how they twinkled! His dimples-- how merry! His cheeks were like roses at Lewis-Ginter, 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 of RJ Reynolds 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. 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!"
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