Tradewinds December 2014 Web

No time for social media....
give Scott a call
This entry for the photo
contest was submitted by
Debbie Malenfant
Clement Clarke Moore didn’t want
‘Twas the Night Before Christmas’
published
Also known as ‘A Visit From St.
Nicholas,’ the famous Christmas poem
that practically invented the modern
concept of Santa almost stayed in the
drawer. Moore, a 19th century author
and classics professor, wrote the poem
for his family to celebrate Christmas
in 1922, allegedly drawing inspiration
for Santa from a pudgy Dutch driver
who took his family on a sleigh ride.
But Moore never intended for it to be
made public. In fact, a close friend of
Moore’s actually sent the poem to the
Sentinel newspaper, where it was published
anonymously. The writer felt
the poem was beneath his talents, and
when it was published and became a
huge hit, he denied authoring it for
nearly 15 years. (It was eventually
included in an anthology of Moore’s
work thanks to the urging of his kids.)
12 Albemarle Tradewinds December 2014 albemarletradewinds.com