A favorite holiday activity of children of all ages- hanging the stockings for Santa to fill. I discovered this photo as I was looking through my old pictures. Thankfully the date was written on the back! I think this is my grandparent's home. It's definitely a classic holiday shot and here's the poem to go with it:
THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS
by Clement Clarke Moore
or Henry Livingston
'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 St. Nicholas soon would be there;
The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;
And mamma 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 up the sash.
The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of mid-day 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 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, 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 house-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of toys, and St. 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 St. Nicholas came with a bound.
He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
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 eyes -- how they twinkled! his dimples how 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;
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 bowlful of jelly.
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;
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 his 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.
But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,
"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night."
@dmortega Thanks Dorrena! Yes, iconic as they come.
@eniaral Thanks Laraine! A little bit but ours juts out where this one appears to be flush. I'll have to ask my aunts and uncles if this was the home they grew up in. I don't remember what it looked like that well.
@allie912 lol Allison- poor Santa certainly would have a hot seat coming down on that fire!
@digitalrn Thanks Rick! I love all the stockings hanging there but I think most people today wouldn't put them there with that kind of fire in the hearth!
@sarasdadandmom Thanks Terry! I basically added the writing and left the rest as it was.
@ellimae Thank you Ellen- and thanks for the fav! It's true- you could stare at this photo and remember when all day!
@nicolecampbell Thank you Nicole! I vaguely remember this house-of course I wasn't around in 1934- but when I was a little girl my grandparents still set up the tree in that same corner!
@sangwann Thank you Dione! A simpler time to be sure.
@alia_801 Thanks Alia! Although I didn't take it! haha
@pandorasecho Thanks Dixie! I think a love of fireplaces runs in the family. If my grandparents came to my house today, they find a similar set up- only I don't put the tree next to the wood stove!
@bruni Thanks Bruni!
@jackie8 Thanks Jackie- please do not feel bad! I think what happens is that only so much can be saved on the home page and then it just gets bumped off, so depending on when you post, or are checking out your page, you may or may not see the pictures. The same has happened on my end. We were without power for a week with Hurricane Sandy and then I had two rather large writing projects to finish for church so, I was out of touch with 365 for about 2 weeks- wow! I'm still playing catch up! Sometimes, when I haven't seen someone's shot for a few days, I'll try to remember to go to my "followers" page and click on their picture there so I can catch up with their work.
@espyetta Thank you MaryBeth!
@summerfield Thank you Vikki!
It definitely is a picture that evokes thoughts of yesteryear- and it is!