‘Twas the night before Christmas has become a Goldendoodles Holiday tale around here for a few years now. Considered a classic, If you ask me, it’s one of the most famous holiday stories ever written.

It happens to be one of my favorites, and since Groovy Goldendoodles was born, I’ve enjoyed changing it up each year.

As a child my older (and only) sister would recite this story to me on Christmas Eve…

I dressed for bed willingly, anxious to hear the story.

She would read with such animation, it was magical. As an adult, I tried to imitate her when our kids were little, and after that, I just transferred my holiday reading fantasies to the Boys. They make a great audience. #notreally

This is the version I will share with Harley and Jaxson on Saturday night…

T’WAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS –

and Mom’s boiling noodles. Not a creature was stirring, not even this senior Doodle…

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that Santa Paws soon would be there;
Jaxson was snoring just not in his bed,
While visions of tasty treats danced in his head…

Doodle Mom with her wine…

… and Doodle Dad in his cap

Had just settled down with a movie before a good nap,
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
The Boys sprang from their beds to see what was the matter.
Away to the window they flew like a flash,
Jumped up on the sofa and knocked over the trash…

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below,
When, what to our wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, led by a group of Doodle-reindeer…

WITH A LITTLE OLE’ DRIVER –

So lively and quick,
Could he be Santa Paws cousin – the one called 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, HARLEY and VIXEN!
On, COMET, on CUPID, on JAXSON and BLITZEN!”…

To the window – to the wall!
Now dash away! dash away! dash away all” #youjustsangthatdidntyou
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 Santa Paws too…

And then, in a twinkling, we heard on the roof,
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As Harley curled up, and was settling down,
Right out the chimney he came with a bound…

HE WAS DRESSED IN ALL FUR –

From his head to his foot,
His clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;
A bundle of treats 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!
Those cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
And his droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
The beard of his chin was as white as the snow;
That 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 Jax laughed when he saw him, in spite of himself…

A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave us to know we had nothing to dread;
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
Filled all of those stockings; then turned with a jerk,
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
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,
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL, AND TO ALL A GOOD DOODLE NIGHT!…

May the spirit of Christmas bring you PEACE – The gladness of Christmas give you HOPE–                         And the warmth of Christmas grant you LOVE ❤️