Cajun Night Before Christmas

by Trosclair, James Rice (Illustrator), Howard Jacobs (Editor)

This Cajun Christmas classic is in full-color. Take the traditional story of jolly old St. Nicholas, dress him in muskrat from his head to his toes, pile his skiff high with toys, and hitch it to 8 friendly flying alligators.

Genres: Christmas, Picture Books, Childrens, Fiction, Holiday, Humor, Poetry

48 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 1973

Reviews

[Lesle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I hate to admit this but at first I struggled, than it popped in my head to act as if Troy from Swamp People was reading this Christmas night tale to me.
St Nick is visiting a family on a skiff as he comes to Bayou. The family lays under the blankets with grins on their faces, as they watch him come down the chimney. What a fun read, we know how the story should go but has a Cajun twist that will make you smile!

A Goodreads friend brought this to my attention. What a great tale to enjoy at Christmas time!

[Jason Pierce · Rating 5 out of 5]

I admit my five star rating is influenced by the power of nostalgia. This is another one I read every year. Uncle Porter who lived in Baton Rouge brought a video to the farm which had a reading of this on it, and we would watch it every holiday season when the extended family gathered for our annual yuletide shindig. I reckon that was in the very early '90s or maybe even the late '80s. Eventually we found this story came in book form, and we snatched it up quick.

Not being in any way Cajun, some of the terms were hard to follow the first time I read it, so I needed help following it. Plus I was in my early teens at the time, and not very worldly; Virginia was all I knew, so not only was this book amusing, it was quite educational. Now I know as much about Cajun ways as if I had read a pamphlet on the subject. And couple it with my knowledge of Bobby Bare's song 'Marie Laveau' and The Skeleton Key movie, and I'm practically an expert. Plus, I make Zatarain's Jambalya all the time with beef sausage. And I used to imitate Leatherhead's accent from the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles all the time as a kid. Shit, I bet I could nip down to Louisiana right now and blend in like a crawfish in a gram of coke.

Oddly enough, though, I found this easier to read than Hillbilly Night Afore Christmas the first time I tackled it. Maybe it's because I had heard it on the tape so many times, but I think it's more because the dialect isn't quite as thick, and it sticks closer to Clement C. Moore's original poem. Here's how it fires off:

'Twas the night before Christmas,
An' all tru de house
Dey don't a t'ing pass
Not even a mouse.

Not too tough. Check it out. And since this is as good a place as any to drop Brenda Lee's Papa Noel, give that a listen too.

[Sharon Barrow Wilfong · Rating 5 out of 5]

This version of the Night Before Christmas in a Cajun dialect was first published in 1970. James Rice illustrated this edition in 1998. Rice graduated with an MFA at Stephen F. Austin University, just down the highway from my home town. His illustrations add a special zeal and zest to this version as well as all the other Night Before versions out there.

[Cheri · Rating 4 out of 5]

My daughter-in-law read this book to all of "us" one night and I had to read it myself following that. This book is definitely best read aloud.

[alana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I first heard this book when I moved to Mobile, Alabama, in second grade. I was just beginning to learn of Louisiana and Cajun food, and this book seemed so magical and hilarious. Rereading the book for the first time in a decade or so, I still love it. The main difference I've found is that it's easier to read now! I had a very hard time reading it myself as a child due to the spelling, accent, and Cajun'isms. I think kids will need some help to get it, especially if they aren't from the South. However, the image of eight alligator flying a skiff through the sky will quickly engage most little ones!

[Bridget · Rating 5 out of 5]

I grew up listening to this book almost every Christmas as my dad put on a Cajun accent and read it first to just me and then to me and my classmates. Once or twice he read to the kids at church. And, as an adult, he'll put on that Cajun accent and read it just for fun. Sometimes I try my hand at it, but I'm nowhere near as good as he is.

This book may not be for everyone, but it holds a special place in my heart and my childhood.

[Melki · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Santa dressed in muskrat fur? And a skiff pulled by alligators?



I absolutely LOVE those gators!

[Patsy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amusing, and fun if you have a Cajun to read it.

[Kimberley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love love love this book! My husband and I compete- trying to out do each other's accent!

[C.P. Cabaniss · Rating 5 out of 5]

We've read this on Christmas Eve for the past several years and it never gets old. Such a fun book to read with family at Christmas.

[Redsteve · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute children's' book with a retelling of the classic "Night Before Christmas" straight out of Bayou Grande Fromage (No, that's not what the book calls it, but you know what I mean.). The Cajun patois it sort of hit or miss but the book is worth it just for the illustrations of the alligators (Gaston, Tiboy, Pierre, Alcee, Ninette, Suzette, Celeste and Renee) who draw St. Nick's skiff full of presents.

[Kathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Towers family classic, read every Christmas Eve in my father’s awful faux-Cajun accent.

Gators pulling Santa’s boat made more sense to me as a small girl in northern Florida than any of this sled or reindeer nonsense.

[M.C. Chronister · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of my favorite Night Before Christmas stories. As a child my Paw Paw read it to us ever Christmas Eve. My mom and I have continued this tradition with my children and my niece and nephew.

[Kayla · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one should be listened to! It's hilarious!

Here's a link to a reading by "The Easy Cajun":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmjbQ...

[C.G.Koens · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one from my childhood, that I always remember my mother reading to me. My dad did his residency in New Orleans, so I can hear the accents in my head while reading this now to my kids.

[Britlyn bordelon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a hit! Really put me in the holiday spirit!

[Sandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is charming and wonderfully illustrated. I butchered the cajun pronunciations and wasn't sure what was being said 100% of the time but the illustrations helped fill in the gap as well as being familiar with the original poem.

[J · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a very fun and intriguing take on "The Night Before Christmas". I am not quite sure if the language of the book is true to the form but it does have the flavor of the bayou-country. Being not actually grammatically correct it isn't a book that can be easily read or sometimes even understood in your head so it is best to read it aloud.

The book still keeps the rhythm and the pattern of the original story but adding a whole new twist with muskrat clothing, liquor suggestions for comparing, eight alligators and one smart St Nicklus.

The pictures were a bit on the oddballish side as they tried to capture the Cajun look and so most of it was natural colors. Out of all the illustrations, though, the best were the alligators and trying to find out what they were doing on a particular page whether swimming, climbing, being carried or flying just to name a few.

So if you want to take a break and just have a fun read for Christmas I would suggest giving this one a try although it would be better in my opinion to hear someone from the actual bayou read it.

[Sunny · Rating 5 out of 5]

My sister Robin gave me a copy of this book years and years ago. She was born and raised in Louisiana, and when to college there, too. For those who love the South...and especially South Louisiana...this is a gem. And far beyond the commom take-offs. And the alligators!!! Such wonderful faces!! If you find an older copy, partly black and white drawings...those are the BEST!. Juli is right, it IS better out loud.

[Krista · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the language in this book! Howard Jacobs did a wonderful job writing in the Cajun dialect. This is one of my favorite Christmas read alouds because it is so fun to read. Every year my students love it as well. It is one that I had to practice reading aloud a few times the first time I read it because of the dialect.

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read this book to my wife every Christmas Eve since 1983 when we married. I lived in Cajun Louisiana in the 1970's so I could do a pretty good Cajun reading. It's a wonderful version of the classic Night Before Christmas with lovely drawings. If you have any Cajun-ness in you or your family, you'll greatly enjoy this!

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the best Christmas story ever. Santa, clad in a muskrat suit, directs his raft pulled by flying alligators to the bayou to visit Ma and Pa. It's amazing. Come over and I'll read it to you in my approximation of a Creole accent.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I usually review children's book based more on what my children think of the book and less on what I think of the book...

Very funny...almost as good as the Texas Night Before Christmas.

[Kyrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

My viewpoint on this book is skewed by the fact I had to memorize it and perform it for the school's Christmas program (with about four hours notice). It's cute, but my memories of it are tinged with stage fright.

[Chris Cutler · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty fun. There were a few gator illustrations that I loved. Probably would have liked it even better if I'd known any stereotypical bayou dwellers.
Merry Christmas to all 'til I saw yo' some mo'

[Kara · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has been a Christmas Eve tradition since I was a little girl. My dad would read it in the "Cajun" voice perfectly. I love trying out my own skills with that "voice" as I read it to my family each year.

[Miriam · Rating 5 out of 5]

". . .An' call dem by name: "Ha, Gaston!, Ha, Tiboy!, Ha, Pierre an' Alcee! Gee, Ninette! Gee, Suzette! Celeste and Renee!" says it all. You get the idea.

[Rosalee · Rating 5 out of 5]

A family tradition. I love this twist on the Night before Christmas. Will always remind me of my grandmother and of growing up in Louisiana.

[KD · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was given this book by a family friend at age 5. My mom just mailed it to Coltrane and he loves it. Perhaps this inspired my interest in dialect.

[Juli · Rating 4 out of 5]

SO much better when Sunny reads this aloud to me, than when I read it alone. Gotta have the silver tongue.