At·Christmas·Tide
Reading edition
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WHO IS IT?
Who is it comes with his reindeer,
Over the ice and snow,
With a sleigh just full of good things?
Tell me if you know.
Just listen to his sleigh bells!
They are ringing out so clear,
And they tell us as we listen,
That Santa Claus is near.
(is) sleigh Santa Claus (m ust)
h is lis ten rein deer j ust
ice us
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al most big h ush
hark (s aw) r ush ing
dr aw
SANTA CLAUS
Hush! hark! I hear sleigh bells!
Listen and you will hear them.
They are ringing out so clear.
They say, “Some one is coming.”
Who can it be? I think I know.
He has a big sleigh.
It is just full of good things.
There is something for you and me.
Little reindeer draw this sleigh.
They come rushing, bounding over the ice and snow.
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They are coming near, near, nearer!
Hear the bells, loud, loud, louder!
They must be almost here.
Now do you know who is coming?
Who is coming in his big sleigh?
Who is bounding over ice and snow?
Who brings a sleigh full of good things?
Tell me if you know.
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Christmas (st ar) world
house f ar chimneys
bed
WHO IS SANTA CLAUS?
Tom: Christmas will soon be here.
Baby: Christmas? What is Christmas?
Tom: Why, Baby! Christmas is the time Santa Claus comes.
Baby: Who is Santa Claus?
Tom: He is the friend of all good girls and boys.
Baby: Where does he live?
Tom: He lives in a cold land far away from here.
101Santa Claus comes in a big sleigh.
Little reindeer draw his sleigh.
Baby: Did you see him, Tom?
Tom: No, he comes when all the boys and girls are asleep.
He comes down the chimneys.
Baby: Why does he come down the chimneys?
Tom: To bring something to all the boys and girls.
Baby: Will he bring something to us?
Tom: He will bring something good.
Baby: What will he bring, Tom?
Tom: You will know in the morning.
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(k ept) (t ire d) (d id)
cr ept f ire h id
(r ock) (l oud) hung
st ock ing cl oud s be fore
THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS
It was the night before Christmas.
Baby hung up her stocking.
She hung it by the big fire-place.
Tom hung his there, too.
“Come, Baby,” said Tom.
“We must go to bed.
You know who comes to-night.”
Then they crept quietly away to bed.
They lay so still, listening, listening.
But not a sound could be heard.
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What did they think they would hear?
Soon their tired little eyes were closing.
They were fast asleep.
Outside it was cold, so cold.
Ice was all around.
Wind was blowing; snow was flying.
Cold clouds hid the blue sky.
Yet over all moon and stars were shining brightly.
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At last the moon peeped out.
She peeped through the cold clouds.
She looked far down at the cold world.
Her rays fell upon a beautiful sight.
There was dear old Santa Claus with sleigh and reindeer.
They were flying from house to house.
They were rushing over ice and snow.
105Down the chimneys Santa went.
In one house he found two stockings.
They hung side by side.
They hung by the fire-place.
We know who hung them there.
Santa filled them full as they could hold.
He filled them up to the very top.
“Good!” said Santa, “good!
How glad Tom and Baby will be!
They have just what they want!”
Back up the chimney Santa went.
Into his big sleigh he jumped.
“Get up, get up, reindeer!”
Then away and away they flew!
So they kept on leaving their good things all the night through.
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ought (out) (w ood)
br ought sh out h ood
(ice) our (b ed)
n ice kind sl ed
quick doll
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THE DOLL AND THE SLED
It was night.
Santa had gone up the chimney.
A new sled was by Tom’s stocking.
It was a bright red sled.
“Are you awake, doll?” called the sled.
“I am,” answered the doll.
“Where are you?” asked the sled.
“Here, in this stocking,” said the doll.
The sled looked up.
There was a dear little doll peeping out of Baby’s stocking.
“Well, here we are in our new home,” said the doll.
108“How do you like it?”
“It is a good home,” said the sled.
“I think we should be happy here.
Santa brought me to the little boy who lives in this house.
I think I will like him.
I know he will like me.
I am so bright and new.”
“He ought to like you,” said the doll.
“You are a nice sled.
You are so bright and new.
I am for a dear little girl.
Santa calls her Baby.
He says she will be kind to me.
He says she will love me.
Do you think she will?
109I know I will love her.
Santa brought her a new hood.
It is such a warm little hood!”
“Hush!” said the sled.
“Quick! Get back into the stocking!
I hear some one coming!”
“Who can it be?” asked the doll.
“I think it is mother,” said the sled.
“Oh, dear,” said the doll.
“It may be Tom or Baby.”
“No,” answered the sled.
“They will not come till morning.
They are in their beds.
They are asleep now.
Hush! Be quiet.
Some one is coming near.”
110The doll crept back into the stocking.
The sled lay down, too.
How quiet they were!
Mother came in.
She made a light.
Then she looked around.
She saw the new sled.
It lay close to Tom’s stocking.
She looked into Baby’s stocking.
She saw the new doll.
She saw the new hood.
She saw many other things.
But not a sound did she hear.
“Santa has been here,” she said.
Then she went away quietly.
All was quiet till Christmas morning.
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off smiles
(d oll) (fee t) (k ind)
f oll ows fee l m ind
(th ey) (up) (fl ies)
o b ey c up cr ies
CHRISTMAS MORNING
Christmas morning is here.
Tom and Baby awake.
“Mother, mother,” they cry, “has Santa Claus been here?
What did he leave for us?
112Let’s go look in our stockings quick!”
“Come, Baby, we can feel our way.”
Away they rush to the fire-place.
Mother follows fast with a light.
“Look, mother, look! a sled, a top, a horn, candy.
So many good things!” shouts Tom.
“See this lovely doll,” cries Baby.
113“And here is a warm hood, a big book, and a cup.
My! how many things dear old Santa brought us!”
“Did you know Santa had been here, mother?” asks Tom.
“Did you think he would bring us so many nice things?
114I have just what I wanted.”
“And so have I,” says Baby.
Mother just smiles sweetly and says:
“Santa Claus has been very kind to you.
I know he thinks you ought to be good.
He will want you to obey mother.”
“We will do that,” says Baby.
“Indeed we will mind you always.”
“That makes me so glad!” says mother.
“It will make Santa glad, too.”
All three are very happy this beautiful Christmas morning.
The sun is just peeping over the hills.
Mother goes to get breakfast.
Tom and Baby are kept busy with their new play-things.
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(p eep) (other) (s un) coat
d eep an other f un tip
st eep children put
PLAYING IN THE SNOW
“Come quick! See the snow!
See the snow!” cries Tom.
“Mother, may we go out and play?
May we take our sleds with us?
May we take the ones Santa Claus brought us?
Do say we may go, Mother.”
“Yes, children,” answers mother.
“You may play in the white snow.
You may take your Christmas sleds.
Come, I will put on your warm coats.”
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“Where is my nice hood?” asks Baby.
“I will bring it to you,” answers Tom.
“How warm it is!”
What fun they have in the deep snow!
They are almost covered with it.
Just hear them shout!
How they make the snow fly!
Up the steep hill they run.
They draw their sleds after them.
117Then down they slide.
They ought to look out for the sleighs.
Their sleds go very fast.
Sometimes the sleds tip over and throw them into the snow.
But they do not care.
It is all fun for them.
Now they are making a snow man.
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He is made of big balls of snow.
What a big tall man!
See them throw snow balls at him!
“Come, children,” calls mother.
“It is time to come in now.
Come, take off your things by the fire.
Another day you may play out again.
You may play with your sleds.”
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