- 'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the barn
- All the horses were resting, well-fed and warm.
- Their stockings were hung this time of year
- In hopes that apples and carrots soon would appear.
- The barn Christmas tree lights were all turned out,
- But horse cookie decorations still twinkled about.
- The barn work for the night was all done,
- It was time to get ready for tomorrow’s sun.
- I in my yoga pants and my dog at my feet
- Had just closed my eyes to try to get some sleep.
- When out in the barn there started such a racket
- That I jumped into my boots and pulled on my jacket.
- We ran to the barn as fast as we could
- Because the sound sounded a lot like breaking wood.
- The barn light out front made things as bright as day,
- But when I looked down the aisle I was filled with dismay.
- Well, what to my sleepy eyes should I see?
- But a big chestnut mare who tipped over the barn Christmas tree.
- Her eyes, they flashed and her nostrils, they flared
- And her huge white teeth were already bared
- She grabbed all the carrots and gobbled half the cookies
- Kicked in the grain room door and ate all those goodies
- She got into the hay barn and pulled open several bales
- Opened all the stall doors and galloped toward the trails.
- The horses were loose! I knew I’d get the blame,
- So I whistled and shouted and called them by name.
- “Come Blazer, here Indy, stop Wizard, come Guy,
- Whoa Stormy, stay DJ,” I yelled to the sky.
- Slowly the horses broke away from the mare’s spell
- And returned to their stalls and again all was well.
- The mare stomped her foot and asked “why did you appear?”
- “If it wasn’t for you, I could have blamed it all on Santa’s reindeer!"
- She neighed to the horses to wish them good cheer
- Then galloped across the pastures as fleet as any deer.
- When she reached a hill, she turned back as if to say,
- “Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good day!”
- I sighed as I went back inside,
- I knew I’d survived a big scare.
- “I’d rather have coal for Christmas
- Than ever have a chestnut mare.”
Written by Kelly O'Neill, based on "A Visit From St. Nicholas" by Clement Clark Moore