The Mystery of "'Twas the Night Before..."
By Laurie Lewis
On December 23, 1823, a newspaper in Troy, New York (about 160 miles north of New York City), published an anonymous poem that began “’Twas the night before Christmas.” Readers loved the poem, and soon it was reprinted in other newspapers, schoolbooks, anthologies, and standalone booklets. Many families began a Christmas tradition, gathering around the fireplace on the evening of December 24 to hear the poem in anticipation of the imminent arrival of the jolly old elf.
One of the anthologies that printed the poem was The New-York Book of Poetry, published in 1837. The author of “A Visit from St. Nicholas,” the official name of the poem, appeared as “anonymous.” Several other poems in the anthology were by a New York City resident named Clement Clarke Moore. In 1844, Moore claimed to be the author of the beloved Christmas verse.
On December 23, 1823, a newspaper in Troy, New York (about 160 miles north of New York City), published an anonymous poem that began “’Twas the night before Christmas.” Readers loved the poem, and soon it was reprinted in other newspapers, schoolbooks, anthologies, and standalone booklets. Many families began a Christmas tradition, gathering around the fireplace on the evening of December 24 to hear the poem in anticipation of the imminent arrival of the jolly old elf.
One of the anthologies that printed the poem was The New-York Book of Poetry, published in 1837. The author of “A Visit from St. Nicholas,” the official name of the poem, appeared as “anonymous.” Several other poems in the anthology were by a New York City resident named Clement Clarke Moore. In 1844, Moore claimed to be the author of the beloved Christmas verse.
December Tours
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Saturday, December 15, at 10 AM |
Wednesday, December 26, at 1 PM
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Interview
Hear Alan Cohen's Sept. 10 interview on WVOX Radio. Alan discusses Central Park, his experiences as a tour guide and being part of Take A Walk New York, working as a docent at the Museum of the City of New York, and a fascinating story about an unofficial statue in Central Park.
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