You can't technically say "The Night before Christmas" is a book. It was a poem written by Clement C. Moore in the early nineteenth century.
Moore was the son of Benjamin Moore, a preacher who was best known for swearing in General George Washington during our country's first inauguration. Clement became an educator, but his strong faith was what influenced his direction of teaching. He wrote a lexicon in Hebrew and taught religious education in a school for the blind in addition to starting the religious department of Columbia University.
His strong influence in religion shows in the poem which was originally titled, "A Visit from Saint Nicholas".
At the time, most regions of their world had their own version of what Saint Nick, looked like, how he arrived, departed and what he left. Clement's poem which was published in December 23,
1823 in the Troy, NY Sentinel, was submitted anonymously. Later, at the insistence of his children Clement Moore acknowledged it a few years later.
The poem is filled with imagery and descriptions. He brings to life not only Santa but every little detail of what the home and hearth is like prior to and after Santa's visit. Even the littlest listeners can imagine Santa laying his finger along his nose as he glides upwards and out. The cold wind, the kerchief and the cap as bed wear. Most importantly is Santa himself as he works quickly and quietly to fill stockings with gifts. Each word brings to mind a picture that children have treasured for almost two centuries. Pick up a copy to read, but make sure you save it for the night before Christmas!
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