Episode 0337

Santa Claus. So, uh we've got a very special advanced level lesson for you today. We've got a poem. It's a very traditional poem that is read or listened to on the holiday. And we're going to talk a little bit about some of the interesting words and phrases that are used in this, but first off, let's just listen to the poem itself.

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 Saint Nicholas soon would be there.

The children were nestled all snug in their beds, while visions of sugar plums danced in their heads. And mama 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 open the sash.

The moon on the breast of the new fallen snow, gave the luster of midday 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 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 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 housetop, the coursers they flew with the sleighs full of toys and Saint 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 Saint Nicholas came with a bound.

He was dressed all in fur from his head to his toe, 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 droll little mouth was drawn up in 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 bowl full of jelly.

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 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.

All right, we're back. So, the poem is very, is very nice. It's um, it's long and just to kind of recap what the poem is talking about. What what is the uh, what is the general story of the poem?

The story of the poem is that uh Santa Claus is coming to visit someone's house. And there's a person in the in the story who is watching Santa Claus arrive. And he's seeing Santa Claus take the reindeer up onto the roof, come down the chimney, and lay the presents out for the children, filling the stockings as well.

Okay. So it's basically a nice uh poetic description of Santa Claus and also um it goes into describe in a very nice way the way Santa Claus looks like.

It's very descriptive. We have uh we have descriptions of what Santa Claus looks like, what he's wearing, his smile, how he's a little bit fat. We also have descriptions of the animals, these special animals that we hear about so often that are called reindeer.

All right, so we've divided up the poem into by line, so then it's going to be easier for you to uh go to the line that we're talking about. Let's start with the first line. Um with this first word that's actually very interesting.

Twas the night before Christmas when all through the house.

So what does this first word mean?

Twas is an abbreviation, so it's a shortened version of it was.

Okay. So, but do you actually use this now in like if you're writing?

No. This is not something I would use now in writing, and it's not something I would say. It's actually more of a an archaic form, something that you might hear in poetry or historical writing.

Okay. So it was the night before Christmas, right?

The night of December 24th, that's right.

All right, so the first two lines talk about how it was the night before Christmas and in the house, there was nothing stirring, not even a mouse.

So not even the smallest little animal. So it's very quiet in the house is what's happening.

So now we jump to line number seven where the poet describes and Mama in her kerchief and I in my cap.

So we know that the person talking is the dad because he's talking about himself and mama, mother. They're in bed together.

And mama in her kerchief and I in my cap. So I'm wearing a nightcap, a cover on my head. It's like a hat.

And mama has a kerchief.

What's the kerchief?

A kerchief is another abbreviation, it's short for handkerchief.

Okay. And a handkerchief is a piece of fabric or cloth that sometimes we use for our noses when we have to blow our nose.

But also, um you can use a kerchief in your hair to cover your hair.

Okay. So if you can imagine it, this must take place, I don't know, maybe 50, 60 years ago when uh dads used to wear hats to bed and and uh and women also handkerchiefs on their head.

Or longer, maybe 200 years ago when people wore these long night hats and nightcaps, the pajamas and everything.

All right. Now let's jump over to uh line 18 and 19 when he's talking about the reindeer and the sleigh arriving and he says, I knew in a moment it must be Saint Nick. This is another way of calling Santa Claus, right?

Saint Nicholas is his name, but you also call him Claus or Santa Claus.

Okay. And then he said more rapid than eagles his coursers they came.

So the word order is a bit strange here. This is common in poetry. We could also say his coursers came more rapidly than eagles. They were very, very fast.

But what are these coursers? We're talking about the animals pulling Santa Claus. And what are those animals again?

They're called reindeer.

Reindeer. So the reindeer are very, very fast.

Okay. That's right because he's making the comparison about how fast eagles are compared to them.

Okay. And we hear their names, right?

Exactly. He goes on to say now Dasher, now Dancer, now Prancer and and all of their names Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donder and Blitzen.

All eight reindeer. Each each animal has its own name.

That's right. So all eight actually, we're missing one though that's very common nowadays, uh the the reindeer that goes in the front lighting, illuminating the sky.

That's right. That's right.

So there are actually nine reindeer nowadays, but I guess this story was before the Rudolph story came out.

All right, so those are this is interesting because those are the names of all the uh all the reindeer now. I'm not sure in which order they are. I don't know who's in the back, who's in the front.

Yeah, I don't know either. But it's important to know that they're very fast and they they come down and then they go up. They have to take Saint Nicholas to the roof of the house on top of the house.

That's right. So now he arrives to the top of the house. Line 32, we see down the chimney, Saint Nicholas came with a bound.

He came quickly down the chimney, boom. And at the end, he's all dressed in fur from his head to his foot.

So top to bottom, he has fur on.

That's right. And I think he's got fur because he lives in the North Pole, right?

That's right. It's very cold where Santa Claus lives, so he has to wear these clothes that are very warm.

Okay. And obviously since he is going up and down chimneys and line 34, we see and his clothes were tarnished with ashes and soot.

So to tarnish or tarnished means dirty. Uh something is tarnished if it's dirty. So um his clothes, his fur clothes were dirty with ashes and soot.

This means that, you know, in your fireplace, when the fire is gone, there's some gray and black stuff. And that's what's on Santa Claus's clothes.

Okay, very good.

So, and then we go on to line 35, a bundle of toys he had flung on his back, and he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.

All right, a peddler. Now this is not just something we talk about on Christmas. You know, we have peddlers all year round. What are what are peddlers? What do they do?

Basically they go around selling things. So uh maybe you see them in a small market or sometimes uh in different places and maybe I don't know, on the streets. You see them selling little things like uh toys or uh combs or books, something like that.

Oranges, you see orange fruit peddlers, people who sell fruit or you could see those watch peddlers, you know, they they say, would you like a Rolex watch? That's a watch peddler.

Mhm. So that's what they do, right? They just uh they're informal uh salesmen.

They don't have a store. They work on the streets.

So this is why Santa looks like a peddler. He isn't in a store. He has a bag and he says look in my bag.

Right, exactly. Now on line from line 37, we go on to describe the way Santa Claus looks like.

So, he says, his eyes, how they twinkled, his dimples, how merry.

Dimples are those small circles on your your cheeks. So some people when they smile, they have these small holes or circles, those are dimples. They're very cute.

That's right. So not everyone has them, right? Some people when they smile, you can see those dimples.

All right. So and his cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry. So there's we're saying that they're red.

They're red, they're pink.

Okay. Now in line 39, he says, his droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow.

Now droll is a word that some people still use, it's pretty common in places like England. We don't use it as much in America, we say funny instead, but something that is droll, D R O L L, droll is funny.

Okay. So his his mouth, his his face is funny looking.

Okay, his face is funny looking. All right.

And uh going on to line 45, we're describing how he was chubby and plump. So we're basically saying he was a little bit fat.

Yes.

Okay. And a right old jolly elf. So what is an elf?

An elf is actually normally we talk about elves, so one elf, two elves, as people, little people who help Santa. They're mythical creatures who live in the North Pole and who make presents.

So an elf is a small creature who who makes presents for or maybe lives in the woods. There are many different stories with elves.

Elves, right, right. Okay.

And in line 46, we say and I laughed when I saw him in spite of myself. What does he mean by in spite of myself?

And this is really important and this is something we say in in English all the time, in spite of myself. So, I laughed in spite of myself. So I didn't want to laugh.

Mhm. But I didn't want to be serious.

But I did laugh.

So in spite, so in spite of myself, I I didn't want to laugh, I I laughed anyway. So you say in spite of myself when you did the thing you did not want to do.

Okay.

And finishing off we are going towards the last three lines where we say and away they all flew like the down of a thistle. What is a thistle?

They're talking about the part of a flower that's a thistle.

Oh, okay. So they just uh they all flew away like uh quickly, rapidly like uh like the little flower.

Well, you you know when a flower is sending its seeds out, it's down, it's white. So um maybe if you blow on a flower with this, the white seeds, they blow away. That's what it looks like. It looks like the seeds of a flower being blown away.

I see. Okay.

Line 55 says, but I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight.

So this is a an older way of saying as he drove out of out of sight. So as he's flying away, I can't see him anymore. Almost I can't see him anymore. He exclaimed something.

So ere means, you know, while while this is happening.

Now, this is another one of those uh maybe old English words that we don't use anymore, right? You wouldn't really use air.

Air I was walking to school. I saw Right. The milkman. No, we don't say this anymore, but you will find it in poetry and you might also find it in stories.

Okay. And uh line 56, he ends and this is very the the famous way that this poem ends by saying, Happy Christmas to all and to all a good night.

Very good. So a beautiful poem, why don't we listen to it one more time.

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 Saint Nicholas soon would be there.

The children were nestled all snug in their beds, while visions of sugar plums danced in their heads. And mama 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 open the sash.

The moon on the breast of the new fallen snow, gave the luster of midday 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 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 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 housetop, the coursers they flew with the sleighs full of toys and Saint 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 Saint Nicholas came with a bound.

He was dressed all in fur from his head to his toe, 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 droll little mouth was drawn up in 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 bowl full of jelly.

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 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.

All right, so this is one of the uh very famous uh poems you can uh listen usually people listen to it or or read about it during Christmas, right?

And so yeah, it's it's a classic. It's something we often talk about and read and listen to.

All right, so it's very interesting because it's part of the um the American tradition of of uh Christmas. I I think maybe also in other parts of the world the poem might be translated or also might uh might be popular.

Um but, you know, Santa Claus and all thing all these things are are traditions that are observed in some countries and uh it's very interesting to to understand them.

Absolutely. And I'm very curious to know about your Christmas traditions. What do you what do you do in your home country on Christmas Eve or on Christmas Day? Do you know any poems like this or do you you listen to this poem in translation? Let us know.

Our website is englishpod.com.

The English part audio review.

Listen to the meaning, then say the vocabulary word.

To move, movement.

Stir.

To fasten or attach so that is supported only from above or at a point near its own top.

Hung.

A vertical structure that allows the passage of smoke.

Chimney.

To lie close and snug.

Nestle.

Warmly comfortable or cozy.

Snug.

To sleep for a short time.

Nap.

Noise.

Clutter.

Rip.

Tore.

Radiance of beauty, excellence.

Luster.

Large.

Sleigh.

Large deer.

Reindeer.

With high speed.

Rapid.

To move with violence, rush.

Dash.

Very big rain and wind storm.

Hurricane.

Something that obstructs or hinders progress.

Obstacle.

A thing suitable for running or chasing.

Courser.

To dance or move in a lively or spirited manner.

Prance.

To strike or scrape with the paws or feet.

Paw.

An encasing protecting the foot of an animal such as a horse.

Hoof.

Another name for Santa Claus.

Saint Nicholas.

To ruin, make dirty or destroy.

Tarnish.

A black dirty substance.

Soot.

Several objects or a quantity of material gathered or bound together.

Bundle.

A small natural hollow area or crease seen when smiling.

Dimple.

The lower end of a tree or plant left after the main part falls or is cut off.

Stump.

Smoking utensil.

Pipe.

A circular band of flowers, foliage or any ornamental work for adorning the head or for any decorative purpose.

Reef.

Well-filled out or rounded in form.

Plump.

A magical being.

Elf.

A prickly plant.

Thistle.

Let's try that faster.

Radiance of beauty, excellence.

Luster.

To move with violence, rush.

Dash.

An encasing protecting the foot of an animal such as a horse.

Hoof.

Large.

Sleigh.

A small natural hollow area or crease seen when smiling.

Dimple.

Several objects or a quantity of material gathered or bound together.

Bundle.

A thing suitable for running or chasing.

Courser.

A prickly plant.

Thistle.

Large deer.

Reindeer.

To ruin, make dirty or destroy.

Tarnish.

With high speed.

Rapid.

To sleep for a short time.

Nap.

Something that obstructs or hinders progress.

Obstacle.

Another name for Santa Claus.

Saint Nicholas.

To lie close and snug.

Nestle.

Smoking utensil.

Pipe.

Rip.

Tore.

A circular band of flowers, foliage or any ornamental work for adorning the head or for any decorative purpose.

Reef.

To strike or scrape with the paws or feet.

Paw.

Well-filled out or rounded in form.

Plump.

To fasten or attach so that is supported only from above or at a point near its own top.

Hung.

The lower end of a tree or plant left after the main part falls or is cut off.

Stump.

To dance or move in a lively or spirited manner.

Prance.

A black dirty substance.

Soot.

Warmly comfortable or cozy.

Snug.

A magical being.

Elf.

Noise.

Clutter.

A vertical structure that allows the passage of smoke.

Chimney.

Very big rain and wind storm.

Hurricane.

To move, movement.

Stir.