Christmas Special
Every year we celebrate Christmas. This event has long become a tradition, no longer a religious service but rather a wordlwide celebration which unites people from all around the globe no matter what their skin colour, nationality or ethnicity, religion or belief, gender or sexual orientation, their mental or physical abilitiy are. Christmas is for everyone, and for everyone should we celebrate.
A Visit From St Nicolas
ə
ˈvɪzɪt
frəm səntˈnɪkələs
BY
baɪ
CLEMENT
ˈklɛmənt
CLARKE
klɑːk
MOORE
mʊə
‘Twas
twəz
the
ðə
night
naɪt
before
bɪˈfə
Christmas
ˈkrɪsməs
,
,
when
wɛn
all
ɔːl
through
θruː
the
ðə
house
haʊs
Not
nət
a
ə
creature
ˈkriːʧə
was
wəz
stirring
ˈstɜːrɪŋ
,
,
not
nət
even
ˈiːvᵊn
a
ə
mouse
maʊs
;
;
The
ðə
stockings
ˈstɒkɪŋz
were
wə
hung
hʌŋ
by
baɪ
the
ðə
chimney
ˈʧɪmni
with
wɪð
care
keə
,
,
In
ɪn
hopes
həʊps
that
ðət
St
sənt
.
Nicholas
ˈnɪkələs
soon
suːn
would
wʊd
be
bɪ
there
ðeə
;
;
The
ðə
children
ˈʧɪldrən
were
wə
nestled
ˈnɛsᵊld
all
ɔːl
snug
snʌɡ
in
ɪn
their
ðeə
beds
bɛdz
;
;
While
waɪl
visions
ˈvɪʒᵊnz
of
əv
sugar
ˈʃʊɡə
–
–
plums
plʌmz
danced
dɑːnst
in
ɪn
their
ðeə
heads
hɛdz
;
;
And
ənd
mamma
məˈmɑː
in
ɪn
her
hɜː
‘kerchief
ˈkɜːʧɪf
,
,
and
ənd
I
aɪ
in
ɪn
my
maɪ
cap
ˈkæp
,
,
Had
həd
just
ʤəst
settled
ˈsɛtld
our
ˈaʊə
brains
breɪnz
for
fər
a
ə
long
lɒŋ
winter’s
ˈwɪntəz
nap
næp
,
,
When
wɛn
out
aʊt
on
ən
the
ðə
lawn
lɔːn
there
ðeər
arose
əˈrəʊz
such
sʌʧ
a
ə
clatter
ˈklætə
,
,
I
aɪ
sprang
spræŋ
from
frəm
my
maɪ
bed
bɛd
to
tə
see
siː
what
wət
was
wəz
the
ðə
matter
ˈmætə
.
.
Away
əˈweɪ
to
tə
the
ðə
window
ˈwɪndəʊ
I
aɪ
flew
fluː
like
laɪk
a
ə
flash
flæʃ
,
,
Tore
tɔːr
open
ˈəʊpᵊn
the
ðə
shutters
ˈʃʌtəz
and
ənd
threw
θruː
up
ʌp
the
ðə
sash
sæʃ
.
.
The
ðə
moon
muːn
on
ən
the
ðə
breast
brɛst
of
əv
the
ðə
new-fallen
ˈnjuːˌfɔːlən
snow
snəʊ
,
,
Gave
ɡeɪv
a
ə
lustre
ˈlʌstər
of
əv
midday
ˈmɪddeɪ
to
tə
objects
below
bɪˈləʊ
,
,
When
wən
what
wɒt
to
tə
my
maɪ
wondering
ˈwʌndərɪŋ
eyes
aɪz
should
ʃʊd
appear
əˈpɪə
,
,
But
bət
a
ə
miniature
ˈmɪnəʧə
sleigh
sleɪ
and
ənd
eight
eɪt
tiny
ˈtaɪni
rein
ˈreɪn
–
–
deer
dɪə
,
,
With
wɪð
a
ə
little
ˈlɪtᵊl
old
əʊld
driver
ˈdraɪvə
so
səʊ
lively
ˈlaɪvli
and
ənd
quick
kwɪk
,
,
I
aɪ
knew
njuː
in
ɪn
a
æ
moment
ˈməʊmənt
he
hiː
must
mʌst
be
bɪ
St
sənt
.
Nick
nɪk
.
.
More
mɔː
rapid
ˈræpɪd
than
ðən
eagles
ˈiːɡᵊlz
his
hɪz
coursers
ˈkɔːsəz
they
ðeɪ
came
keɪm
,
,
And
ənd
he
hɪ
whistled
ˈwɪsᵊld
,
,
and
ənd
shouted
ˈʃaʊtɪd
,
,
and
ənd
called
kɔːld
them
ðɛm
by
baɪ
name
neɪm
:
:
“
“
Now
naʊ
,
,
Dasher
ˈdæʃə
!
!
now
naʊ
,
,
Dancer
ˈdɑːnsə
!
!
now
naʊ
Prancer
ˈprɑːnsər
and
ənd
Vixen
ˈvɪksᵊn
!
!
On
ɒn
,
,
Comet
ˈkɒmɪt
!
!
on
ɒn
,
,
Cupid
ˈkjuːpɪd
!
!
on
ɒn
,
,
Donder
dɒnə
and
ənd
Blitzen
blɪtsən
!
!
To
tə
the
ðə
top
tɒp
of
əv
the
ðə
porch
pɔːʧ
!
!
to
tə
the
ðə
top
tɒp
of
əv
the
ðə
wall
wɔːl
!
!
Now
naʊ
dash
dæʃ
away
əˈweɪ
!
!
dash
dæʃ
away
əˈweɪ
!
!
dash
dæʃ
away
əˈweɪ
all
ɔːl
!”
!”
As
əz
leaves
liːvz
that
ðət
before
bɪˈfɔː
the
ðə
wild
waɪld
hurricane
ˈhʌrɪkən
fly
flaɪ
,
,
When
wən
they
ðeɪ
meet
miːt
with
wɪð
an
ən
obstacle
ˈɒbstəkᵊl
,
,
mount
maʊnt
to
tə
the
ðə
sky
skaɪ
;
;
So
səʊ
up
ʌp
to
tə
the
ðə
housetop
ˈhaʊstɒp
the
ðə
coursers
ˈkɔːsəz
they
ðeɪ
flew
fluː
With
wɪð
the
ðə
sleigh
sleɪ
full
fʊl
of
əv
toys
tɔɪz
,
,
and
ənd
St
sənt
.
Nicholas
ˈnɪkələs
too
tuː
—
—
And
ənd
then
ðɛn
,
,
in
ɪn
a
ə
twinkling
ˈtwɪŋklɪŋ
,
,
I
aɪ
heard
hɜːd
on
ən
the
ðə
roof
ruːf
The
ðə
prancing
ˈprɑːnsɪŋ
and
ənd
pawing
ˈpɔːɪŋ
of
əv
each
iːʧ
little
ˈlɪtᵊl
hoof
huːf
.
.
As
əz
I
aɪ
drew
druː
in
ɪn
my
maɪ
head
hɛd
,
,
and
ənd
was
wəz
turning
ˈtɜːnɪŋ
around
əˈraʊnd
,
,
Down
daʊn
the
ðə
chimney
ˈʧɪmni
St
sənt
.
Nicholas
ˈnɪkələs
came
keɪm
with
wɪð
a
ə
bound
baʊnd
.
.
He
hiː
was
wɒz
dressed
drɛst
all
ɔːl
in
ɪn
fur
fɜː
,
,
from
frəm
his
hɪz
head
hɛd
to
tə
his
hɪz
foot
fʊt
,
,
And
ənd
his
hɪz
clothes
kləʊðz
were
wɜːr
all
ɔːl
tarnished
ˈtɑːnɪʃt
with
wɪð
ashes
ˈæʃɪz
and
ənd
soot
sʊt
;
;
A
ə
bundle
ˈbʌndᵊl
of
əv
toys
tɔɪz
he
hiː
had
həd
flung
flʌŋ
on
ən
his
hɪz
back
bæk
,
,
And
ənd
he
hiː
looked
lʊkt
like
laɪk
a
ə
pedler
pɛdlə
just
ʤʌst
opening
ˈəʊpnɪŋ
his
hɪz
pack
pæk
.
.
His
hɪz
eyes
aɪz
–
–
how
haʊ
they
ðeɪ
twinkled
ˈtwɪŋkᵊld
!
!
his
hɪz
dimples
ˈdɪmpᵊlz
,
,
how
haʊ
merry
ˈmɛri
!
!
His
hɪz
cheeks
ʧiːks
were
wə
like
laɪk
roses
ˈrəʊzɪz
,
,
his
hɪz
nose
nəʊz
like
laɪk
a
ə
cherry
ˈʧɛri
!
!
His
hɪz
droll
drəʊl
little
ˈlɪtᵊl
mouth
maʊθ
was
wɒz
drawn
drɔːn
up
ʌp
like
laɪk
a
ə
bow
bəʊ
,
,
And
ənd
the
ðə
beard
bɪəd
on
ən
his
hɪz
chin
ʧɪn
was
wəz
as
əz
white
waɪt
as
əz
the
ðə
snow
snəʊ
;
;
The
ðə
stump
stʌmp
of
əv
a
ə
pipe
paɪp
he
hiː
held
hɛld
tight
taɪt
in
ɪn
his
hɪz
teeth
tiːθ
,
,
And
ənd
the
ðə
smoke
sməʊk
,
,
it
ɪt
encircled
ɪnˈsɜːkᵊld
his
hɪz
head
hɛd
like
laɪk
a
ə
wreath
riːθ
;
;
He
hiː
had
həd
a
ə
broad
brɔːd
face
feɪs
and
ənd
a
ə
little
ˈlɪtᵊl
round
raʊnd
belly
ˈbɛli
That
ðət
shook
ʃʊk
when
wən
he
hiː
laughed
lɑːft
,
,
like
laɪk
a
ə
bowl
bəʊl
full
fʊl
of
əv
jelly
ˈʤɛli
.
.
He
hiː
was
wəz
chubby
ˈʧʌbi
and
ənd
plump
plʌmp
,
,
a
ə
right
raɪt
jolly
ˈʤɒli
old
əʊld
elf
ɛlf
,
,
And
ənd
I
aɪ
laughed
lɑːft
when
wən
I
aɪ
saw
sɔː
him
hɪm
,
,
in
ɪn
spite
spaɪt
of
əv
myself
maɪˈsɛlf
;
;
A
ə
wink
wɪŋk
of
əv
his
hɪz
eye
aɪ
and
ənd
a
ə
twist
twɪst
of
əv
his
hɪz
head
hɛd
Soon
suːn
gave
ɡeɪv
me
miː
to
tə
know
nəʊ
I
aɪ
had
həd
nothing
ˈnʌθɪŋ
to
tə
dread
drɛd
;
;
He
hiː
spoke
spəʊk
not
nət
a
ə
word
wɜːd
,
,
but
bʌt
went
wɛnt
straight
streɪt
to
tə
his
hɪz
work
wɜːk
,
,
And
ənd
filled
fɪld
all
ɔːl
the
ðə
stockings
ˈstɒkɪŋz
;
;
then
ðən
turned
tɜːnd
with
wɪð
a
ə
jerk
ʤɜːk
,
,
And
ənd
laying
ˈleɪɪŋ
his
hɪz
finger
ˈfɪŋɡər
aside
əˈsaɪd
of
əv
his
hɪz
nose
nəʊz
,
,
And
ənd
giving
ˈɡɪvɪŋ
a
ə
nod
nɒd
,
,
up
ʌp
the
ðə
chimney
ˈʧɪmni
he
hiː
rose
rəʊz
;
;
He
hiː
sprang
spræŋ
to
tə
his
hɪz
sleigh
sleɪ
,
,
to
tə
his
hɪz
team
tiːm
gave
ɡeɪv
a
ə
whistle
ˈwɪsᵊl
,
,
And
ənd
away
əˈweɪ
they
ðeɪ
all
ɔːl
flew
fluː
like
laɪk
the
ðə
down
daʊn
of
əv
a
ə
thistle
ˈθɪsᵊl
.
.
But
bʌt
I
aɪ
heard
hɜːd
him
hɪm
exclaim
ɪksˈkleɪm
,
,
ere
eə
he
hiː
drove
drəʊv
out
aʊt
of
əv
sight
saɪt
—
—
“
“
Happy
ˈhæpi
Christmas
ˈkrɪsməs
to
tə
all
ɔːl
,
,
and
ənd
to
tə
all
ɔːl
a
ə
good
ɡʊd
night
naɪt
!”
!”