A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day....12-24-02....Twas the Night Before Christmas,,,,

Billie and daisyscarlett

[daisyscarlett]

"A Visit From St. Nicholas," was published for the first time on December 23, 1823 by a New York newspaper, the Sentinel. Since then, the poem has been reprinted, translated into innumerable languages and circulated throughout the world.

Clement Clarke Moore was an author, a noted Hebrew scholar, spoke five languages, and was an early real-estate owner and developer in Manhattan. Despite his accomplishments, Clement Clarke Moore is remembered only for "'Twas the Night Before Christmas," which legend says he wrote on Christmas Eve in 1822 during a sleigh ride home from Greenwich Village after buying a turkey for his family. Some say the inspiration for Moore's pot-bellied St. Nicholas was the chubby, bewhiskered Dutchman who drove Moore to Greenwich Village to buy his holiday turkey.

Moore never copyrighted his poem, and only claimed as his own over a decade after it was first made public. Moore read the poem to his wife and six children the night he wrote it, and supposedly thought no more about it. But a family friend heard about it and submitted the poem to the Sentinel, a newspaper in upstate New York, which published it anonymously the following Christmas. Moore's poem immediately caught the attention and imagination of the state, then the nation, and then the world.

Finally, in 1844, he included it in a book of his poetry. Because of his "mere trifle," as he called it, 175 years ago Clement Clarke Moore almost single-handedly defined our now timeless image of Santa Claus.

A Visit From St. Nicholas by Clement Clarke Moore

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 luster 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!"

On, Comet! on, Cupid! on, Donner 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 a sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas, too.

And then in a twinkle, 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 the twinkled! his dimples how merry! His cheeks were like a roses, his nose like a cherry. is droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,

And the beard on 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. 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 as he drove out of sight,

"Happy Christmas to all and to all a good night."

THE END

THIS WEEK'S THREADS 12-23-02 Christmas Music

Opinions by our own 'King of Ping' The guy's good, folks!

Thanks, Mixer!

1) Click on the graphic to open the Calendar.
2) Once there you can click on any month and even click to the right to go into next year. Once you are in the month that you joined FR you will need to click on the number in the calendar and then an add item screen will come up.
3) In the next box enter your name in the "Calendar Text" field and then click on submit.
4) If any of the screens fail to load simply click on refresh in your browser and that will usually fix it.
5) If all else fails or simply if you want me to do this for you send me an FReepmail and I will gladly do it for you. ~Mixer

[daisyscarlett]

[JohnHuang2]

Morning to ya, my friend, and...

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU AND YOURS!

[daisyscarlett]

[CounterCounterCulture]

Guess I better start my Christmas shopping soon. ;-)

[daisyscarlett]

As the calendar indicates, time to stop shopping, baking, decorating etc and REJOICE for Christmas is here (almost)...

[glock rocks]

time to stop shopping

for one particular gender, the 24th often marks the beginning of Christmas shopping :o)

[SheLion]

Wow! You gals are Super SHARP! What a great picture. I have saved it for my collection! Thanks, daisyscarlett!!!!! What a treasure!!!!

[Aeronaut]

Good morning Daisy. Merry Christmas to all.

[Jim Robinson]

Merry Christmas everyone!

[glock rocks]

and when they saw that star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy

Merry Christmas

[Fiddlstix]

Be sure and
Click the Pics
J

Click Here for Christmas Graphics J

[MeekOneGOP]

Mornin', everybody !!

Have a cup while you FReep !

For those who prefer hot chocolate.....

Eggnog, Anyone?

[MeekOneGOP]

Merry Christmas !

Merry Christmas from
Ming n Meek !

[ST.LOUIE1]

Pics of the Finest Babes. Wow! What a great way to start my day!!

You're all most beautiful, most gracious and, well.... most everything. : )

Good morning, Ms.Daisy. : )

[ST.LOUIE1]

Merry Christmas, Jim!

You're FR's Santa...thank you.

Don't get stuck in the chimney. : )

[ST.LOUIE1]

Good morning, sweet Ladies. : )

Whoever, I'm missing you....big time! : )

[.45MAN]

Thanks for a consistantly wonderful thread giving us the opertunity to see just who makes up the strength of Free Republec.

A Happy and Wonderful Christmas to All

[Iowa Granny]

Good Morning. Great opening to the thread today. An Elegant portrayal of our lovely hostesses.

Happy Holidays everyone. We're having our kids here around 2:00. The weather events the rest of the country is experiencing are missing us. Our landscape is dormant and brown. Somehow, I just can't imagine Elvis crooning, "I'll have a Brown Christmas without You".

[humblegunner]

24th often marks the beginning of Christmas shopping

That's number one on my list today...

[SpookBrat]

Good morning and Merry Christmas Eve everyone. I'll try to come in when I can. I had more to do today, than I had planned. Thank you all for being my friend and for being such great people. I'm blessed to know you all. I hear little feet running in the house, so I better go.

<--------click on the picture

I like this picture of the shepherd bowing down. I look forward to the day when I can see the Lord face to face, bow down before him and thank him for his blood. Without his birth, there would be no death and no salvation. Praise God for my full salvation. In Jesus Holy Name, Amen.

[SpookBrat]

Special Mistletoe just for you. *SMOOCH*

Love you Meekie. Thanks for being a loyal true friend. I miss you! Hope to see you soon.

[Mudboy Slim]

Howdy, y'all...MUD

[GailA]

[sweetliberty]

Such a great story. That is one of the earliest stories I remember. Whan I was a little girl I had that as a book. It was one of the old-fashioned kind of books and Santa's suit was velvet all the way through it.

Love the pledge. Perfect for today.

[firewalk]

Good morning everyone (-:

***Merry Christmas***

[FreeTheHostages]

And the number two dog on Mixer's Top Ten Holiday dog list, as we count down to Christmas:

[sweetliberty]

MERRY CHRISTMAS JIM, TO YOU AND YOURS!

.

[sweetliberty]

LOUIE!

[FreeTheHostages]

Of all the puppies, and all the kittens, and all the half-naked babies in tubs, your lovely Christmas picture is definitely the cutest hostess picture of the year!

In alphabetical order:

{{{Billie}}}

{{{daisyscarlett}}}

{{{dansangel}}}

{{{Mama_Bear}}}

[ladtx]

In memory of my fellow helicopter pilots who lost their live in the Republic of South Vietnam the following were lost on DEC 24.

1966 MAJ Carl L. Young (USA) -- US Army, Age 35, Alexandria, Virginia
1968 CW2 James D. Ozbun (USAR) -- 92 AHC, Age 21, Fairfield, California
1968 WO1 Roger A. Ross (USAR) -- 92 AHC, Age 22, Moorestown, New Jersey
1970 WO1 John G. Buchanan (USAR) -- C/1/9 CAV 1 CAV, Age 24, Evansville, Indiana
1970 1LT Joseph C. Spence Jr. (USAR) -- A/3/17 CAV, Age 23, Franklin, Virginia
1970 William H. CW3 Yount Jr. (USAR) -- A/3/17 CAV, Age 27, Millington, Tennessee

SCOUTS OUT!

[ladtx]

The last name should be CW3 William H. Yount Jr. Apologies.
Need to sharpen up the proofreading skills.

[Aquamarine]

Jingle Bells

Click on the pic

[FreeTheHostages]

Mixer: Ping to Christmas doggies in post 32!

Aqua: Thanks! Mixer may mix, but you're the master music mixtress.

[Mixer]

Incredible!!!!....Thanks for the ping

[Mixer]

Sorry I do not have my full ping list on this PC so I hope I didnt forget anyone.

Have a great Christmas Everyone! I hope you all enjoy the day no matter what you are doing. I hope you have all been good boys and girls because if not you know what you get....Democrats back in the white house in '04

Be safe and be healthy. I am going to read some of the thread and then I have promised my wife I will spend the rest of today with her. We are having my family over tonight and then going to their house tomorrow so this is the last quiet time we will have until tomorrow night : )

[Mudboy Slim]

Enjoy yer day, dude...MUD

[Aquamarine]

master music mixtress

Very clever...ha!

[Aquamarine]

Have a joyous Christmas Eve and Day with your family. I've made the same kind of promises to my husband. So I won't be here much during that time either. I'll just be posting a song here and there on the run.

[Mixer]

What a lovely picture of the four of you. Thanks for sharing. Maybe someday soon after the holidays we could have a picture posting thread?

[Mixer]

Jim...Thank you so much for having FR. There is such a collection of great people here and I am so glad to be a part of the FR family.

Merry Christmas to you and yours.

[Mudboy Slim]

"JessieLee and JakeySteve!!"
(To be sung to Bob Dylan's "FrankieLee and JudasPriest")

Well, JessieLee and JakeySteve,
They were the Best of FRiends!!
So when JessieLee cried out, "JUSTICE or SHAME!!"
Jakey hollered out...MUD's boy could sing!!
We sang, "DemRATS are ALL Fools!!"
Up then walk'd a PUNK called "Macker!!"
MUD said, "Gimme Slick, TerrieBoy!!
Yer loss shall be MUD's gain!!"

Well, MackerBoy, he sat right down
Drew his fingers to his chin,
Folks, with the bold eyes of Mudboy on him,
PUNK's head began to spin.
"Would ya please not stare at me like that," PUNK said,
"Mudboy, I know yer Right!!
Still, you know how RATS must sell their souls...
FReepers just won't let me hide."

Well, Mudboy, he just grinned )8^D! and said,
"Let's FIGHT!! I'll Teach you FEAR!!
PUNK, you'd better hurry 'n TESTIFY...
Yes, you know Willie's SCUM,
'Cuz MUD knows you and Slick are QUEER!!"
"I'm gonna start my quittin' right now,
Just tell me Why You FReep!!"

Mudboy pointed down the road...
And said, "FerLiberty!!"
"FerLiberty?!!" said MackerPee,
Squeeealy voice like a girls in FRight!!
"That's Right," said Mudboy Slim, "FerLiberty...
Good FReepers call it 'PARADISE!!'"

"I won't give you Slick, Mudboy!!"
Said McAuliffe oh so Vile....
"All Right," said Mudboy Slim,
"We'll FReep ya 'til ya RESIGN!!"

Well, MackerPUNK, he kneeled right down...
Terry kissed MUD's hairy feet...
When just then a dude named Limbaugh...
Burst upon the scene,
Saying, "Are you Mudboy Slim, the FReeper,
Whose father captain'd ships?!
'Cuz if you are,
There's some jackass callin' you WHACKO!!
And they say his name is Slick."

"Woah, Rush...Slick ain't MUD's FRiend,"
Said Mudboy Slim that night,
"I do recall Slick very well,
Clinton, he shall feel MUD's Bite!!"
"Yes, yer the one," said El Rushbo,
Sitin' the the WhiteHouse,
"Well, my message is, 'Mudboy Let's ROLL!!
RE-IMPEACH RATS' LOUSE!!!"

Well, MackerPee, he panicked,
He stopped kissin' Slim and ran...
Until he came up to the spot
Where WillieSlick did stand.
"What kind of man is MUD?" PUNK said,
"Why won't MUD leave US ALONE?!"
"It's not yer House," said Mudboy Slim,
"It's not yer House...it's MUD's Home!!"

Well, WillieSlick, he trembled,
His bowels lost all control!!
Over all the crimes and chicks he'd RAPED...
Now, MUD's Justice was on a roll!!
Slick just stood there staring...
From the BigHouse where we put our SCUM!!
With four and twenty boyfriends...
Just buggerin' SlickWillie's bum. (BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!...sorry)

Yes, FReepers still care about our Liberty,
Gettin' JUSTICE, therefore WE FReep!!
And, foamin' at the mouth,
MUD began to make his midnight FReeps.
For sixteen nights and days MUD raved,
But on the seventeenth he burst...
Into the arms of Missuz MUD,
Which is where MUD quenched his thirst!!

(Mudboy HOOtin' on the Harp!!)

Lib'rals tried to save Ol' Slick...
But FReepers swatted them away like pests,
Except, of course, Slick's little Negro boy...
Who they called WillieJeff.
And he just walked along, alone,
With his guilt so well revealed,
And muttered underneath his breath,
"Mudboy Made Slick SQEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAL!!!!"

Well, the moral of the story,
The moral of this song,
Is simply that RATS should never be...
Given Power...Left IS Wrong!!
So when you see your neighbor carryin' somethin',
Help him with his load,
But Don't go mis-Votin' fer DemonRATS...
'Cuz they're all just Chi-Com HO's!!

Work in progress...MUD

[Aquamarine]

I agree, they are all lovely hostesses inside and out. :)

[Mo1]

[Mixer]

Thanks for posting. I will have to try and make it on at some point tomorow to see that stressed out number 1 dog....LOL

[JulieRNR21]

We can't stay
This Christmas Eve day
But we must say.....
Our four Finest FR Hostesses
Look absolutely SMASHING today!

Georgio and

[habs4ever]

Merry Christmas to you and your loved ones, and all the best in the New Year.

[LadyX]

What a treat to see those four beautiful smiling faces!
Four of the most special and dear ladies on the Internet, to be sure..:)))

God's blessings to all of you and the guest hosts/hostesses who present to us daily the Finest Things in Life, and provide a vehicle for a full measure of love and joy ~ ~ ~

[MeekOneGOP]

Thanks very much, SpookBrat ! Jim Reeves has such a beautiful voice !

[MeekOneGOP]

Thanks my FRiend. Hope to see you soon too. My regards to Mr. SB and the kiddos too.

Merry Christmas from
Ming n Meek !

[LadyX]

A blessed Christmas to you and all your wonderful family, Jim!