Lee Anne Womack’s

Historical Mystery Chronicle

Volume 12, Issue 1

December 2025

On the Night Before Christmas: a Poem Set During the Second Boer War

At the beginning of the Second Boer War, the British Empire faced significant setbacks, and this harshly affected many families during Christmas. Brothers, sons, and fathers were fighting in South Africa, and some houses already had black crepe hanging on their doors, showing their mourning through the holiday. While letters traveled slowly, telegraphs allowed the British Isles to receive war news quickly. Since the main character of my upcoming novella becomes a war correspondent in South Africa—largely because her brother is serving in the army and she wants to help contribute to the war effort too—I wondered what she would be thinking on Christmas Eve in 1899. Additionally, the original version of “Twas the Night Before Christmas” was published in the early 1800s, and she may have read it. So here’s Catherine Howard’s rendition of “On the Night Before Christmas,” when her world looked bleak and she wondered if hope could still be found.

Important Note About the Original Poem—”A Visit from St. Nicholas”

The original poem is in the public domain, which opens it up for authors to incorporate it into stories. This is why certain songs are sung in Christmas movies or books are quoted by characters. It’s a way of learning from past greats while also incorporating something new into the story. For me, it was an exercise in writing poetry—not my forte—while also writing a flash fiction story about Christmas Eve. I hope you enjoy!

“On the Night Before Christmas, 1899”
by Lee Anne Womack

On the night before Christmas, eighteen ninety-nine,
London’s streets lined with tinsel and holly and pine.
The joy of the season pervaded the air,
But the currents of war flowed with doubt and despair.

How could people in London pretend all was well
When our boys down in Cape Town all trembled or fell?
Black Week in South Africa mulled through my brain,
With its sorrow and heartache of many in pain.

All the Boers could go home and sleep snug in their beds,
Just pretending that England was wrapped up in dread.
Indeed after Mafeking, this season looked dire,
Without hope in my heart of depleting my ire.

My own dear brother Peter was somewhere ensconced,
Fighting Boers through the hol’days the only response
To horrible losses from week after week.
For the great British Empire, was Christmas more bleak?

All alone by my window, I stared at the street,
Watching lamplighters rush along regular beats.
The glow from the gas lamps lit straight to my door,
And the carolers came despite Africa’s war.

Their songs cheerily floated true hope through the night,
Still reminding my London of Peace, Joy, and Light.
If only my heart could accept that great gift,
When my brother was fighting the Empire’s rift.

Then outside in the street a cart clattered and clanged,
Interrupting the carols with racketing bangs.
I sprang from my seat with great fear in my throat
Until came from the wagon a man in a coat.

There the jolly old soul bellowed out with a laugh,
And the children joined carolers blocking his path.
He pulled from his cart a bag full of treats,
Handing fruit, nuts, and fairings as free given sweets.

I pushed open my window and leaned out to hear
All the words he would give for his reason to cheer.
But singing he joined in the carolers’ chords,
Truth proclaiming the advent of Jesus our Lord.

Their sopranos and altos made great harmony,
With their tenors combining his bass to a T.
When once they were finished, he emptied his sack,
Still reminding the crowd of the real Christmas lack.

The whole world’s greatest need wasn’t offerings free,
And it wouldn’t be found winning wars—land or sea.
He shared of the Christ child’s rising and reign,
E’er reminding us all of what Christmas still means.

Then he sprang to his seat at the front of his rick,
And he clucked to his horse, shook the reins with a flick.
I heard him exclaim ere he rode out of sight,
“Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night.”

Stories you can read during Christmas