One of the most beloved Christmas stories is ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas. While almost everyone is familiar with the sweet holiday rhyming tale, the story behind it is one that is largely untold and unknown.
Behold, the history and fun facts behind everyone’s favorite festive poem, along with all of the words to read aloud to your family this Christmas season. There are also some fun trivia questions included as well. Enjoy!
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‘Twas the Night Before Christmas (A Visit) Full Poem
‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
in hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there.
The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
while visions of sugar plums danced in their heads.
And Mama in her ‘kerchief, and I in my cap,
had just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap.
When out on the roof there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
tore open the shutter, and threw up the sash.
The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
gave the lustre of midday to objects below,
when, what to my wondering eyes 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 rapid 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, Donner and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch!
To the top of the wall!
Now dash away! Dash away!
Dash away all!”
As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
when they meet with an obstacle, 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 St. Nicholas came with a bound.
He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
and his clothes were all tarnished with ashes 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 up like a bow,
and the beard on his chin was as white as the snow.
The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
and the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
that shook when he laughed, like a bowl full of jelly.
He was chubby and plump, a right 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 went 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,
“Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!”
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Photo by D-Keine from Getty Images Signature/Canva
‘Twas the Night Before Christmas History, Trivia and Facts
The poem, originally titled A Visit or A Visit From St. Nicholas, was first published anonymously on Dec. 23, 1823, in a Troy, New York newspaper called The Sentinel.
It wasn’t until 1837 that Clement Clarke Moore accepted credit for writing A Visit. He reportedly wanted to keep his authorship secret (initially) because he was a professor and the piece wasn’t considered a scholarly work at the time of its initial writing. Moore is said to have based his vision of Santa Claus on both St. Nicholas and a local Dutch handyman where he lived in New York. Legend has it that the handyman operated the sleigh that took Moore home.
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Four handwritten copies of A Visit are known to exist, with three in museums, and one purchased at auction by an anonymous media mogul for $280,000 in 2006.
Moore is largely credited with creating the modern-day image of both Santa Claus as well as the domesticity associated with being home for the holidays, especially on Christmas Eve. Some, however, believe that Henry Livingston, Jr., is the author of A Visit, but evidence largely points to Moore as being the author of the piece.
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Photo by George Dolgikh/Canva
‘Twas the Night Before Christmas: Fun Questions
Question: Christopher Clement Moore borrowed his idea of Santa Claus from which other New York writer of the time (who’s commonly associated with Halloween)?
Answer: Washington Irving
Question: The reindeer names “Donner and Blitzen” are based on words meaning what?
Answer: “Thunder” and “lightning”
Question: The Carnegie Mellon Hunt Library houses how many editions of A Visit From St. Nicholas?
Answer: Nearly 400
Question: When was A Visit From St. Nicholas first illustrated?
Answer: 1863
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Question: When is Christopher Clement Moore believed to have written A Visit?
Answer: Christmas Eve 1822
Question: Which president is a descendant of Henry Livingston?
Answer: George W. Bush
Question: Those who believe Henry Livingston, Jr. wrote A Visit claim he wrote the poem in what year?
Answer: 1808
Question: Christopher Clement Moore was believed to have written A Visit for whom?
Answer: His daughters
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Question: In A Visit, where on the house does Santa Claus tell his reindeer to go?
Answer: “To the top of the porch, to the top of the wall!”
Question: What does Mamma wear in A Visit?
Answer: A kerchief
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