24/12/2014
MErry chRistmas to alllllllll
Santa Claus And His Works
A Santa Claus Poem by George P Webster
This nice little story for Girls and for Boys
Is all about Santa Claus, Christmas and toys.
So gather around me, but speak not a word
For I mean what I say, by you all will be heard.
In a nice little city called Santa Claus-ville,
With its houses and church at the foot of the hill
Lives jolly old Santa Claus; day after day
He works and he whistles the moments away.
You must know, he is honest, and toils for his bread,
And is fat and good-natured with nothing to dread.
His eyes are not red, but they twinkle and shine,
For he never was known to drink brandy or wine;
But day after day at his bench he is found,
For he works for good children hard, all the year round.
Though busy all day he is happy, and sings
While planning and making the funniest things,
Such as wagons and horses, and dishes and ladles,
And soldiers and monkeys, and little dolls cradles.
And garters and socks, and the tiniest shoes,
And lots of nice things such as doll babies use.
(See, the top of his head is all shining and bare –
‘Tis the good men, dear children, who lose all their hair.)
With many things more, for I can not tell half –
But just look at his picture, I’m sure you will laugh,
With trumpets and drummers, farms, sheep, pigs and cattle,
And he makes the pop-guns and the baby’s tin rattle;
Then he takes the new dolls that have long curly hair,
And, setting the table, seats each in a chair,
And he makes them pretend they are taking their tea –
He’s the jolliest fellow you ever did see,
And can make a q***r codger jump out of a box,
Or will make with his knife and new parrot or fox,
Or sit with his spectacles over his nose
And work all day long making little dolls clothes,
Such as dresses and sashes, and hats for the head,
And night-gowns to wear when they jump into bed;
With his dog standing near him, and spy-glass in hand,
He looks for good children all over the land.
His home through the long summer months, you must know,
Is near the North Pole, in the ice and the snow.
And when he sees children at work or at play
The old fellow listens to hear what they say;
And if they are gentle, loving and kind,
He finds where they live, and he makes up his mind
That when Christmas shall come in cold frosty December
To give them a call, he will surely remember;
And he’s sure to have with him a bundle of toys
For the nice little girls and the good little boys.
Oh, if you could see him start out with his team
You would doubt your own eyes, and would think it a dream –
Wrapped up in a bear-skin to keep out the cold,
And his sleigh covered over with jewels and gold,
While his deer from the mountains, all harnessed with care,
Like race-horses prance through the cold winter air.
‘Tis fun just to watch them and hear the bells ti**le,
E’en the stars seem to laugh and they look down and twinkle.
And the hungry raccoon and the fox lean and shy
Give a wink as they hear him go galloping by;
For they know by his looks and the crack of him whip,
And his sleigh-load of toys, he is out for a trip.
Then the fox steals the farmer’s old goose for his dinner,
Which you know is not right – but the fox is a sinner,
And his morals are bad and his habits are loose,
For he’s never so gay as when stealing a goose.
Ah! Here is a picture. Oh, children, just look
At the names of the good little girls in his book,
And a long list of names of the good little boys,
Who never disturb Pa and Ma with their noise.
There is Tommy, who tended the baby with care,
He gets some beautiful books for his share;
And Eliza, just think how bright her eyes will twinkle
When she looks in her stockings and finds Rip Van Winkle.
And Georgie, you know, is the five-year-old dandy –
Wont he strut with his pockets all filled up with candy?
There the old fellow stands with a q***r knowing look,
Till he has in his mind every name in the book;
And he would be kind to them all if he could,
But he gives his presents to none but the good.
