CLEVELAND — It's become a bit of a tradition here at 3News, to mark Christmas Eve with a reading of "The Night Before Christmas."
Our own masterful storyteller Leon Bibb sets a festive scene before the fireplace at Cleveland's historic Glidden House.
Did you know the poem was originally titled "A Visit From St. Nicholas?" Published anonymously in a New York newspaper on December 23, 1823. Not until 1837 was it attributed to Clement Clarke Moore, although he didn't publicly claim authorship until 1844, when he included it in a book of poetry. Moore reportedly wanted to keep his authorship a secret, as he was a professor at the time and it wasn't considered a scholarly piece early on.
Moore is said to have written the poem, to read to his children on Christmas Eve. A visiting friend was so impressed, she sent it to a newspaper editor, without Moore's permission.
"The Night Before Christmas" is said to have significantly influenced our ideas of Santa Claus over the past two centuries.