User blog:Baldwin17/Merry Christmas to all!

Allow me to wish each and every one of you a very Merry Christmas. And allow me the pleasure of creating a special rendition of the Christmas Story.

Twas the night before Christmas, and through the Hundred Acre Wood, all the residents lay sleeping, as they all should. The stockings, all hung by the chimnies with care, in hopes that Saint Nicholas would soon be there. Little Piglet was nestled all snug in his bed, with visions of sugarplums dancing in his head. Kanga wore her 'kerchief, and Tigger his cap, as they and Roo settled down for a long winter's nap. When out on Pooh's lawn, there arose such a clatter, so he sprang from his sleeping bag to see what was the matter. Away to Christopher Robin's window, Pooh flew like a flash. He tore open shutters and threw up the sash. The moon did glitter on the new fallen snow, while causing shadows to fall on the objects below. When what to his wandering eye did appear, but a miniature sleigh and eight tiny reindeer. With a little old driver so lively and quick, he knew in a moment that it was Saint 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 Donner and Blitzen! To the top of the porch! To the top of the wall! Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!" As leaves before the wild hurrican fly, when the meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky; So up to Christopher Robin's housetop the coursers they flew, with a sleigh full of toys, and Saint Nicholas too. And then, in a twinkling, Pooh heard on the roof the prancing and pawing of each little hoof. As he drew in his head and turned right around, down the chimney came St Nicholas 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 gifts he had slung on his back, and he looked like a pedler 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 on 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 bowl full of jelly. He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf, And Pooh laughed when he saw him, in spite of himself. A wink of his eye and a twist of his head soon gave Pooh to know he 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 Pooh heard him exclaim, as he drove out of sight, "Merry Christmas to all! And to all, a good night!"