'Twas the Night Before the Night Before Christmas
About the Story
“’Twas the Night Before Christmas” is the first line of the poem “A Visit from St. Nicholas,” which was written by Clement Clarke Moore, a professor of Oriental and Greek Literature who had grown up in Queens. The poem was first published in the Sentinel in Troy, NY, on Dec. 23, 1823. Many modern depictions of Santa Claus are attributed to this poem including use of a sleigh, the names of the eight flying reindeer, the tradition of delivering toys to children, his arrival on Christmas Eve instead of Christmas Day, and his physical appearance, which was reportedly inspired by a local Dutch handyman with whom Moore was acquainted. Today, the poem is considered to be one of the most famous American poems ever written. Four hand-written copies of the poem still exist, with three of the copies housed in museums.
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