Friday, December 19, 2014

Who Wrote "The Night Before Christmas"?


Do we really know for sure?  The very well known and loved poem, "A Visit From St. Nicholas" but which is more often called by the first line of the poem, " The Night before Christmas" is thought to have been written by Clement C. Moore who was a professor at Columbia College (now Columbia University.)   It seems that he was a bit embarrassed by this poem, he wrote very lengthy books on languages that he felt were much more important!

Perhaps he didn't like to be reminded of it since he didn't really write it?  The poem was published anonymously in a newspaper in Troy, New York on Dec. 23, 1823  It is believed by many that Henry Livingstone, Jr. wrote the poem!  The Livingstone family was surprised to see that Clement C.  Moore claimed ownership of this poem since the children of Henry Livingstone, Jr. knew that their father had read it to them for years! Why would they not dispute it?  It is believed that it could have something to do with the fact that Mr. Moore was the only child of a bishop in the Episcopal church in New York City!

A  mock trial was conducted recently and the verdict was that Mr. Livingstone was indeed the true author! In fact, December 23, 2014 has now been declared Henry Livingstone, Jr. Day in Troy, New York. 

Now, I really don't know for sure, but it seems to me that the arguments in favor of Henry Livingstone, Jr. are pretty sound.  If you read the different writings of both men, you should come to the same conclusion that I did...how could Clement C.Moore have written this? You can read some of the writings of Clement C. Moore but I wouldn't recommend it! They sound NOTHING like the fun and joy of  "A Night Before Christmas"!  Henry Livingstone Jr's poems and letters sound very much like the rhyming scheme and joyful tone found in the famous "Night Before Christmas".!

For one thing...the reindeer names..  Donner and Blitzen (thunder and lightning in German)...were really Dunder and Blixem (thunder and lightning in Dutch).   Apparently, Clement C. Moore knew German but not Dutch.  Could he have made this change simply because he thought the person who wrote the poem didn't know how to spell?  The words are close enough to make one think so, without taking the time to look it up!

Also, it is on record that Clement C. Moore wrote a letter to Troy, New York, ASKING about the authorship of the poem! This is called  the smoking gun. You can read more details about it if you click on that link I just gave you!

The best argument for Mr. Livingstone's authorship of the poem is in the other poems and letters that he wrote in his lifetime.  I have not read all of them. but I read a good many of them and in one of the letters he wrote, " A Thousand kisses for the baby and a thousand blessings upon you!".  Also, he even wrote "Happy Christmas" in one of the letters and that is in the last line of the poem! Now, go and read Clement C. Moore and compare his letters and poems to those of Henry Livingstone, Jr.

What do you think?  Whoever did write it, I have always loved it and I always will! I read it often enough to the boy you see in the photo below! I think I can almost recite it from memory.

"...but I heard him exclaim as he drove out of sight,
Happy Christmas to all and to all a Good Night!"


 And don't even get me started on Dr. Seuss and "How The Grinch Stole Christmas"! I knew that one by heart from reading it so often to my brothers and sister! Hey ! I still do!  And You KNOW I had to try to read it in my BEST fake English accent! Thanks, Boris Karloff for such a wonderful reading of the story, it was truly wonderful!


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20 comments:

  1. It is interesting to ponder over who wrote it but I am just happy that someone did. Good Christmas poems are hard to find.

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    1. I know, I love the poem too but all the more reason that we should determine who really wrote it! If Mr. Moore didn't write it, and passed it off as his own, that is a real shame but it does not take away from the poem itself, it's wonderful.

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  2. Just one little thing: The word "Blitzen" is not correct German. It would be simply "Blitz" for lightning. Blitzen is a verb - it means to flash. For instance, if you're caught on camera speeding on the motorway, what the camera does is "blitzen", it is "flashing" the cars, so to speak :-)
    So, looks like Mr. Moore wasn't all that good in German, either!

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    1. Forgot to add that I love your header picture! (I usually do. Whichever one you choose according to the season, it is always a very beautiful one.)

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    2. Oh dear, let's hope none of Mr. Moore's descendants read this post!
      Did you click on those links that I gave you? They show the writings of both men. I wonder, what do you think?
      Also, do you know "How The Grinch Stole Christmas"?
      And the header photo was taken just this past weekend, the train depot in Conyers, it is now used as a Welcome Center. I asked Richard to take that photo and get the clock and all the red bows, he obliged.

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  3. Hi Cindy Lou, er I mean Kay. My daughter's 5th grade class recites that poem, every year. She assigns a line or two to each child. Those last two lines the whole class says very loudly. I love it.Merry Chrisrmas to you and yours, xoxo,Susie

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    1. Ha! You wouldn't believe it but my little sister looked just like Cindy Lou Who (without the antennae that is! LOL)
      Merry Christmas to you, sweet Susie! xxx

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  4. I'll stick with Mr. Moore. This beloved tale is a favorite and read and reread it many times. Too late to change my thinking now. Merry Christmas !

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    1. It's hard to think that a well loved poem might have been plagiarized and I don't know if it was or not, but like you, I love it no matter who wrote it!
      Merry Christmas to you! :-)

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  5. Well, what a controversy!! I still love the poem though. Happy Christmas! xx

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    1. This has been around since 2000, but I am just now hearing about it! Oh well, I am always late with things! HA!
      Happy Christmas to you, pop a cracker for me, would you? You know I love those corny jokes! xx

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  6. They should examine Moore's other, more serious written works to see if he made a habit of plagiarism. That could be good circumstantial evidence of a pattern of fabrication.

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    1. Yeah, I agree, someone should do that. I will not volunteer to do so, the bits of writing that I read by him were plenty enough for me!
      Check it out and let me know what you think!

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  7. Debra's got a great idea! And i'm for Livingstone.

    The stories are so beloved, i wish i had little ones to read them to again.

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    1. It makes sense that it might not have been written by Moore. I know it might be hard for many to think about, such a beloved part of our childhoods!
      And I know what you mean about little ones, but maybe we have grandchildren in our future, here's hoping for that one day! xx

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  8. Oh gracious! I do LOVE that grin on Christopher's face! How interesting about the Christmas poem. Tsk! What a shame that Moore did not fess up to the truth.

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    1. Yes! C. was with his "real" Santa Claus, you can tell he was happy!
      And I wonder if we will ever know for sure who really did write it.... let me know if you hear anything else about it! xx ALOHA!

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  9. Another Interesting post. I've lost count over the years of the number of books, great ideas or inventions that have been credited to one person but turn out to have been the work of another who died in obscurity. It certainly pays to be well connected or part of the "Establishment" throughout human history.

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    1. "And for those who are known to you alone, O Lord, hear our prayer".
      Not sure if I have paraphrased that or not but that is what came to my mind reading your comment.
      If the family didn't come forward, simply because of the fear of offending someone in the Episcopal Church, it is a shame but understandable at that time.
      Thanks, Bob, for your comment. Hope you are able to get out under some blue skies! Happy Christmas.

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  10. I, too, find this a very interesting post. Thanks for doing the research, Kay...now I'm going to have to do some reading about it myself. :)

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