'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the clan
Not a creature was stirring, not even a man;
Sealing scrolls were hung on the wall with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;
Kiba and Akamaru were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of food pills danced in their heads;
And Tsume in her nightgown, and I in mine as well,
Had just settled down for a sleep that was swell,
When out on the training ground I heard a sound,
I sprang from my bed to see if enemy ninja were around.
Grabbing a Kunai I ran to the door,
Hiding in the shadows and hitting the floor.
The moon shining brightly on new-fallen snow
Gave the luster of mid-day to objects below,
My eyes bugged out of my head when,
I saw a king sized sleigh, and eight burly Ninken,
With a wise old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.
More rapid than Anbu his sleigh dogs became,
As he whistled, and shouted ,then 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 top of the roof! And continue right on through!
Now dash away! dash away! With my Tobu Jutsu!"
As my hitai-ate flew off my head,
The smile on my face began to spread.
So up to the our house the Canines they flew,
With the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too.
And then, in a second, I loosened my jaw,
At the prancing and clawing of each large paw.
As I drew sheathed my kunai, and hid behind the wall,
Down the chimney, came St. Nicholas with a fall.
He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were also covered with ashes and soot;
A bundle of toys he had slung on his back,
And he looked like a merchant as he opened his sack.
His eyes - how they twinkled! His dimples were merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow;
He had a dragon shaped pipe held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke went around 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 looked like an Akimichi, a plump jolly old ninja,
He then told me "You did know I could see you, didn't ya?"
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon let me know I had nothing to dread;
He didn't speak another word, but went straight to work,
And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,
And putting his finger next of his nose,
Giving me a nod, up the chimney he rose;
He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew when they heard this dismissal.
But I heard him exclaim, as he flew out of sight,
"MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL, AND TO ALL A GOOD-NIGHT!"