Certainly Much Loved and Well Known
Everyone knows the beloved poem that begins with "Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse."
But did you know who wrote this and when? Do you know the rest of the story?
This very famous peom was written by Clement C. Moore on Christmas Eve in 1822. I just found out his great-great-niece lives near me. This poem is still very popular even tho it's nearing the second century mark. It's definitely a classic.
Moore was 43 when he wrote "A Visit from St. Nicholas." It was first published anonymously in the Troy Sentinel in 1823. Yet it wasn't until he was 65 in 1844 that he first acknowledged that he was the author of this now very famous poem, He had it published in a small book of his poetry entitled "Poems." This book of poetry was published at the request of his children.
For the most part this poem embarrased him. Surprised? You may ask why as I did. For the most part of his life his scholary works were overshadowed by what he publicly considered a frivolous poem about a fictional Christmas character. He was actually a biblical scholar and professor of Asian and Greek literature at the Episcopal General Theological Seminary erected in NYC on land he had donated. He's also known for his work " A Compendious Lexiocon of the Hebrew Language Vol. 1 & ll."
Now he will forever be remembered y many as the person who truly kept St. Nicholas alive to the world. And now you know the rest of the story........
"But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight, "Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night." "