Merry Christmas to One and All

T'was de night befo' Christmas, an' all t'ru de house
Dey don't a t'ing pass, not even a mouse.
De chirren been nezzel good snug on do flo'
An' Mam pass de pepper t'ru de crack on de do'
Den Mam in de fireplace done roas' up de ham,
Stir up de gumbo, and make bake de yam.
Den out on de by-you dey got such a clatter
Make soun' like ol' Boudreau done fall off his ladder!
I run like a rabbit to got to de do'
Trip over de dorg an fall on de flo'!
As I look out de do' in de light o' de moon
I t'ink, "Manh, you crazy! Or got ol' too soon.
"Cuz dere on de by-you, w'en I stretch ma' neck stiff
Dere's eight alligator a pullin' de skiff.
An' a little fat drover wit' a long pole-ing stick
I know r'at away got to be ole St. Nick.
Mo' fas'er and fas'er de gator dey came;
He whistle an' holler an' call dem by name:
"Ha, Gaston! Ha, Tiboy! Ha, Pierre an' Alcee'!
Gee, Ninette! Gee, Suzette! Celeste and Renee!
To de top o' de porch, to de top o' de wall
Make crawl, alligator, an' be sho' you don' fall!
"Like Tante Flo's cat, tru' de treetop he fly
W'en de big ole houn'dorg come a run hisse'f by.
Like dat up de porch dem ole 'gator clim',
Wit' de skiff full o' toy an' St. Nicklus behin'.
Den on top de porch roof it soun' like de hail
W'en all dem big 'gator done sat down dey tail.
Den down de chimney he yell wit' a bam
An' St. Nicklus fall an' sit on de yam.
"Sacre!" he axclaim, "Ma pant got a hole!
I done got mase'f on dem red hot coal!
"He got on his foots, an' jump like a cat
Out to de flo' where he lan' wit' a SPLAT!
He was dress' in musk-rat from his head to his foot
An' his clothes is all dirty wit' ashes an' soot
A sack full o' playt'ing he t'row on his back
He look like a burglar, an' das fo' a fack.
His eyes how dey shine, his dimple, how merry!
Maybe he been drink de wine from blackberry.
His cheek was like rose, his nose like a cherry
On secon' t'ought, maybe he lap up de sherry.
Wit' snow-white chin whisker, an' quiverin' belly,
He shook w'en he laugh, like de stromberry jelly.
But a wink in his eye an' a shook o' his head
Make my confi-dence dat I don' got to be scared.
He don' do no talkin', gone straight to his work;
Put playt'ing in sock, den he turn wit' a jerk.
He put bot' his han' dere on top o' his head
Cas' an eye on de chimney an' den he done said:
"Wit' all o' dat fire, an' dem burnin' hot flame,
Me, I ain' goin' back by de way dat I came!
"So he run out de do' an' he clim' to de roof.
He ain' no fool, him, fo' to make one mo' goof.
He jump in his skiff, an' crack his big whip,
An' de 'gator move down, an' don' make one slip.
An' I hear him shout loud, as a splashin' he go,
"Merry Christmas to all, til I see you some mo'!"

And May Your New Year Be The Best One Yet.
Pickett