[A ‘Tuesday Challenge’ originally prepared for the congregation of Horley Baptist Church during December 2024]
“Twas the night before Christmas” is the opening line of a popular poem first published in 1823 and commonly ascribed to Clement Moore, an American professor and author. It relates a vision of Christmas Eve with snow, reindeer and a jovial Santa dispensing gifts whilst children are asleep. Although the poem predates the accession of Queen Victoria, the sentiments it expresses, along with the writings of Charles Dickens, have helped to form our perceptions of a Victorian Christmas. (more…)