Christmas Eve Poems

People all around the world make special preparations for the night before Christmas Day, that is, the Christmas Eve. In many countries of the world, all the celebrations of Christmas are culminated on Christmas Eve. It is perhaps the most important day of the entire holiday season. Family and friends come together and pledge for togetherness on this day. The importance of Christmas Eve is a reason why there are numerous poems written on Christmas Eve. Here are a couple the popular poems for Christmas Eve.

Night Before Christmas
by Major Henry Livingston Jr. (1748-1828)
'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!'
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Christmas Eve by Julie Lineker
The children lay in bed this special night
Holding their breath with eyes closed tight
They know the magic won't be right
If they are found awake after midnight
Shhh, at last they hear a sound
Tinkering bells in the background
Do they dare open their eyes
And peep out at the dark skies
Will they only see the snow
Or is Santa parked across the road
They hear a creak, is it the door
Or is it the cat creeping across the floor
No this time they know for sure
It definitely was the bedroom door
Not one child dares to breathe
Or make a sound in bed this eve
They knew it was he creeping across the floor
Even quieter than the year before
Will he leave me a doll's house
Some toy soldiers and a sugar mouse
There's a lot of rattling, a creak, a groan
Now he's finally leaving our home
We wait in bed for what seems like hours
Until we're sure the house is ours
Then we are all out of bed
Feeling around to see what's been left
Our sacks are full, O what joy
We have been good girls and boys
We feel around and shake each one
To us Christmas day has begun
But suddenly out of the dark
GET BACK TO BED! The grown-ups bark.