The Night Before Christmas (Tar Valon Style)

Author: Melana al'Cairera

'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the Tower
Not a Sister was stirring, nor channeling the Power;
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that the Lana soon would be there;

The novices were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of honeycakes danced in their heads;
And Mother in her stole, and the warder in her lap,
Had just settled down for a long winter's nap,

When out over the city there arose such a clatter,
They all sprang from their beds to see what was the matter.
Away to the windows they 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 with their wondering eyes should they see,
But a big cozy blue sleigh, and eight giant s'rediti,

With a cute cozy driver waving a banana,
They knew in a moment it must be the Lana.
More rapid than eagles her coursers they came,
And she whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;

"Now, BILLY! now, ALFRED! now, LYSEBL? and BAIJAN!
On, RAFO! on LOLA! on, LEO and SHERMAN!
To the top of the Tower! Over the bright shining 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 coal, and Lana Sedai too.

And then, in a twinkling, they all heard from the top
The sound of eight s'rediti coming to a stop
As they drew in their hands, and were turning around,
Down the chimney the Lana came with a bound.

She was dressed all in silk, from her head to her foot,
And her clothes were not at all tarnished with ashes or soot;
A bundle of coal she had flung on her back,
And she looked like a peddler just opening her pack.

Her eyes -- how they twinkled! her big smile, how merry!
Her cheeks were like roses; she was not all that scary!
Her cozy li'l mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the white of her teeth was as white as the snow;

A basket of brownies she held tight in her hand
and bottles of Baileys, of the bestest brand;
She had a cute li'l face and a li'l flat belly,
That didn't really shake when she laughed, unlike some jelly

She was clever and smart, a right jolly ol' Blue
And they laughed when they saw her, yep, t'is quite true.
A wink of her eye and a twist of her head,
Soon had them believing they had nothing to dread;

She spoke not a word, but went straight to her work,
And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,
And laying her finger aside of her nose
And giving a nod, up the chimney she rose;

She glided to the sleigh, to her team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But they heard her exclaim as she drove out of sight,
"HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO ALL, AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT!"