Doc's Holiday Message
Doc's been practicing
Last updated
Doc's been practicing
Last updated
Transcript Doc Gibbons This is a rehearsal of my holiday message. I found the text@poets.org.
'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house Not a creature was stirring, not nary a mouse; The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there; The littlest 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 our brains 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. Inside 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 lustre of mid-day to objects below, When, what to my wondering head 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 jumpy 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 glide away! glide away! glide away all!" As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly, When they meet with an element, mount to the sky; So up to the house-top the coursers they flew, With the sleigh full of Toys, and St. Nicholas too. And then, in a twinkling, 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 brave Nicholas came with a bound. He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot, And his clothes were all tarnished with kibbles 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 they twinkled! his dimples how merry! His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry! His droll little mouth was drawn arched like a bow And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow; The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth, And the smoke it confounded his head like a wreath; He had a broad face and a little round belly, That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly. He was chubby and plump, a fat 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 dove 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, ere he drove out of sight, "Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good-night..
'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house Not a creature was stirring, not nary a mouse; The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there; The littlest 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 our brains 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. Inside 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 lustre of mid-day to objects below, When, what to my wondering head 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 jumpy 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 glide away! glide away! glide away all!" As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly, When they meet with an element, mount to the sky; So up to the house-top the coursers they flew, With the sleigh full of Toys, and St. Nicholas too. And then, in a twinkling, 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 brave Nicholas came with a bound. He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot, And his clothes were all tarnished with kibbles 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 they twinkled! his dimples how merry! His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry! His droll little mouth was drawn arched like a bow And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow; The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth, And the smoke it confounded his head like a wreath; He had a broad face and a little round belly, That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly. He was chubby and plump, a fat 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 dove 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, ere he drove out of sight, "Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good-night..
Collecting both the original word from poets.org and the mistaken word Doc says reveals each of the mistaken words begins with the letter A-N. Sorting the words alphabetically and reading the first letters of the original words gives: USE WORD EARACHE
U
Up
Arched
A
S
Saint
Brave
B
E
Encircled
Confounded
C
W
Went
Dove
D
O
Obstacle
Element
E
R
Right
Fat
F
D
Dash
Glide
G
E
Eyes
Head
H
A
Away
Inside
I
R
Rapid
Jumpy
J
A
Ashes
Kibbles
K
C
Children
Littlest
L
H
Happy
Merry
M
E
Even
Nary
N
The first thing found on Doc's desk is an old iPod classic. Listening to is reveals an audio recording of his rehearsal for his , where he retold the story of 'Twas the Night Before Christmas. Unfortunately during his rehearsal he made a number of mistakes and said the wrong word when compared to the original at . 14 mistaken words could be found in total in Doc's rehearsal as highlighted below.