“The Night Before Christmas”

(1823) A poem from the early nineteenth century by the American author Clement C. Moore; it concerns the appearance of Santa Claus on Christmas Eve. The original title of the poem is “A Visit from St. Nicholas.” Some lines from it are:

`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; ...
But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,
“Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!”