There are many versions of this story.

Da Kine Hawai'ian Kalikimaka

Was da night befo Christmas an all troo da hale
No body was stirring, not even one iole
Small ekes was hung on da wall ova deah
In da hopes da menehune soon would be heah

Small kids was sleepin-up on top one sleeping mat
And dey dream about kulolo an tings li dat
Mama and me all set fo enjoy one nice res
We figa get ten hour moemoe -- da bes

Den out by da grasses dere been one big clatta
Me I jump up fo go look what's da matta
Out in da grasses I peeked troo lauhala
Da moon was all shiny ju' like one big silva dalla

An den you know what I wen spark ova deah:
Da good menehune and his eight little kia
Mo quicka den ukus da bunch of dem came
And he make one oioio and he call dem by name

"Ehula, Elele, Elala, Eliu,
And Hoku, Kupi, Hakila, Uila,
Up da lanai bruddah, on top da paia
Now come on you guys or we get pilikia."

Den jus like one dry leaf dat blow all around
Dem guys make one run and take off from da groun
Den quick like one wink way on toppa da roof
I wen heah da footprints made by dey hoof

And jus when I goin back inside my room
Dat menehune slide down wit one poom!
He move even more fas den one mahimahi
His malo all lepo cause he lan in pa'u ahi

His face stay all shiny, wit big white whiskas
His nose all ehu jus like hibiscus
His face was hauoli all fill up wit joy
An his opu shake when he laugh ja like one-finger poi

On top his back he get one big eke
All fill up wit toys for each little keiki
Now he no tell nuttin but he make hana hana
An he fill up dose ekes wit plenny makana

He so funny I start laughing an yet
He make like one wink fo me no get upset
Den he put up his finga long side his iku
An mo quick den you guys can say "Jonah Kuhio"

He jump top da roof and dem guys all togedda
Float up in da airs jus like dakine fedda
"Aloha!" he say, "I like every kanaka
Fo get fo himself one Mele Kalikimaka

Aloha,
--- K.K. Kaumanua



"Wuz da nite befo' Christmas"--Margaret Steele

Wuz da nite befo' Christmas an' from hea to Wailuku,
No creetcha wuz stirrin' not even one uku.
Da Keikis wen snuggle down safe in da beds,
Big dreams of tofuti wen dance roun' da heads.
An' me wid my Primo an' Ma wid her poi,
We jus' settle down fo' one rap, - when oh Boy!

One awful big clatter come from da lanai,
I tink maybe coconuts wen fall from da sky.
I wen jump up so fas' I knock ova da chaia
I wen run to da windo to see what stay dea.

All ova da beach da kine silva moonlight
On da sand an' da sea it shinin' so bright,
I can see all da tings on da sho' plenty clea,
An' I see sumting out dea dat stay mo' plenty quea!
One tiny surfbo
ard lyin' der on da groun'
An' eight tiny sea horses jus' swimmin' aroun'
An' one little ol surfer so lively, so quick, -
I wen tink to myself, "Ey, brah! Dat Saint Nick!"

He wuz chubby an' jolly, da kine roly poly,
An' dressed all in fur from da chin to okole.
He had one white beard an' one little roun' belly
Dat went shake when he laugh like Tutu's guava jelly.

He wastin' no time, brah, he wen put down da sack
Dat wuz big as one mountain slung up on his back.
He got plenty good tings for all da keiki
An' he wen pile dem unda da coconut tree.

He work an' he work an' he neva pau hana
Til he put someting der fo' all da Ohana.
He wen give me one wink an' one shaka, an' - pau!
Da seahorses dey know it come time to go now!
He wen pick up da board an' he run to da ocean,

He wen harness da team an' he settem in motion.
Mo fasta dan jet planes da seahorses swum
He wen whistle an' shout an' he call 'em each one:
"Go Kimo, Go Noni! Gettum Kipo an' Lani!"
"Go Kona, go Pua! Geevum Kiki an' Nani"

To da cres of da wave, tru da foam an' da spray,
''Dey swimmin' like crazy, dey flyin' away!"
Til all I wen see on da wata out fa,
Wuz one twinkle of light like one dyin' out star.
But I hea ol Nick holla
Across da dark sea,
"Merry Christmas, da kine, Aloha Hawaii!"