The Night Before Christmas Book Gift

When I was about 5 or 6, my parents bought me a book for Christmas which I have cherished ever since. That book was a copy of 'The Night Before Christmas' by Clement Clarke Moore, illustrated by Douglas W. Gorsline. The edition I received is still in print and is pictured here.

Photo courtesy of Amazon (see link below)

I loved this book from the moment I received it. The front cover is fantastic, with a gruff, but kind looking, Santa Claus and his sack of toys. I love the way the smoke from his pipe swirls around his head. I've never liked smoking, but there's something very Christmasy about it in this picture. The fantastic illustrations continue throughout the book.

Then there's the poem itself. It's a classic poem and has been describes as 'America's favourite Christmas poem'. From the first line, I was hooked. The imagery it creates and the simple but effective rhyming pattern make it a really fun poem and a perfect Christmas gift, especially for children. It's also a great way of learning the names of Santa's reindeer!

There are many different publications of this book available on Amazon. The edition I got over twenty years ago is still in print and I have put that one here, but there are other versions with different illustrations also available.

If you've never heard this poem before, here is a beautiful collection of illustrations narrated by Perry Como.

Michelle Obama reading Clement C. Moore's poem at the National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony in Washington D.C., 2010.

Photo courtesy of Ekabhishek - wikimedia commons