Twas The Night Before Christmas
Few Christmas stories are as beloved—or as widely quoted—as The Night Before Christmas. Originally titled “A Visit from St. Nicholas,” this classic poem first appeared anonymously in The Sentinel, a Troy, New York newspaper, on December 23, 1823. It wasn’t until 1837 that Clement Clarke Moore took credit as the author. More than 200 years later, it’s still a holiday favorite for families and classrooms everywhere.
If you’re looking for simple, festive, and educational ways to bring this classic poem to life with your kids, I’ve gathered a collection of easy hands-on activities, worksheets, and printables you can use at home or in your homeschool co-op.
Whether you’re focusing on reading comprehension, writing, rhyming, ABC order, or a little holiday math, these activities will help your children connect with the story while having a whole lot of fun.
And yes—zero mess, zero glitter explosions, zero complicated supplies required.
Grab your own book for your bookshelf here:
The Night Before Christmas
This classic Christmas poem can be printed off and used for reading practice or rhyming work.
Christmas Learning Activities Inspired by The Night Before Christmas
Write a Letter to Santa (Creative Writing)
Encourage your child to write their own letter to Santa.
This can be:
- A traditional “wish list” letter
- A thank-you letter
- A letter asking Santa questions
- A silly letter written from the perspective of the reindeer
Print the Dear Santa Letter template and let your child write, draw, or decorate their letter.
This is a great way to sneak in handwriting, grammar, and sentence structure while still keeping things fun and magical.
Santa’s Gift List (Writing + Thoughtfulness Activity)
Invite your student to think of five people they love and what they might want for Christmas.
They can draw or write the gifts on the Santa Gift Worksheet.
This activity also helps your child practice:
- Kindness
- Empathy
- Clear writing
- Planning and organizing thoughts
Perfect for morning time or a quiet independent activity.
Rhyming Words from the Poem (Reading & Phonics Skills)
The Night Before Christmas is packed with rhyming pairs, making it an easy and playful way to practice phonics skills.
Use the Rhyming Worksheet to:
- Find rhyming pairs
- Circle or highlight word matches
- Identify rhyme patterns
- Build phonemic awareness
Christmas ABC Order (Cut & Paste Activity)
Your student will read the names on the stockings, cut them apart, and glue them in alphabetical order.
This activity supports:
- Alphabetical order
- Early literacy skills
- Fine motor skills
- Following directions
Christmas Math: Rounding to the Tens Place
Finish the lesson with a little holiday math fun.
Use the Rounding to Tens Worksheet to practice:
- Identifying place value
- Rounding numbers
- Reasoning and estimation
This is great for 2nd–4th graders, especially if you want to keep learning going without adding heavy worksheets during Christmas break.
More Christmas & Holiday Learning Resources
If your kids are loving these activities, you might also enjoy:
Gingerbread Man Shape Matching
Santa’s Run Math Fact Game for First Graders
Don’t have the book? Listen to it being read here on YouTube:
Looking for these Fun Printables? Grab them Below!
Are you looking for more Holiday Content? Grab the 12 Days of Christmas Holiday Bundle here
Angela is the Homeschool Encourager for the Overwhelmed & Under-Caffeinated and the Chaos-to-Confidence Specialist behind Schooling with Grace. With a no-fluff approach, a dash of humor, and a whole lot of heart, she helps homeschool moms cut through the chaos, ditch unrealistic expectations, and teach with confidence.