There are lots of traditions associated with Christmas, but there is one that stands out in my family as a must do each year.
Most of us know at least a line or two from this famous poem. Odds are that you have read it to your kids, or that it was read to you by your parents. 'Twas The Night Before Christmas by Clement Clarke Moore has been featured in songs, books, television shows, and even spoofs for longer than most of us have been alive!
But you probably didn't know that the original title was "A Visit from St. Nicholas" and that Clement wrote the poem in 1822 to read to his daughters on Christmas Eve. When it was published in a local newspaper after being submitted by an anonymous patron, Mr. Moore, who was known for his more serious literary work, didn't even want to claim it as his own. He felt that it was too childish and too whimsical for his scholarly reputation.
The poem became popular and began to spread across the nation, and others tried to claim it as their own.
At the insistence of his children, Clement finally took ownership of the infamous poem, and it remains a tradition to this day in many households to read it on Christmas Eve.
Has this been a tradition in your home? If not, you can start this year! You can find the full poem here.
Or, share one of our favorite 'Twas The Night Before Christmas videos with your family.
For the last 48 Christmases, my dad has read The Night Before Christmas to me. My sister, my husband, my children, and my nieces have been added to the audience over the years, but the book he reads has remained the same. No matter where we are, we come together on Christmas Eve to share in the tradition. Our family's book is featured in this read along video from Let's Read Bedtime Stories.
A more modern version of the story can be found here, narrated by singer Michael Buble.
A fun animated version is offered by The Little Genius Workshop.
Whether you read the poem, share one of the hundreds of published versions, or watch a video, your family is sure to enjoy 'Twas The Night Before Christmas. Be sure to tell them that it is over 200 years old!
