Now Dasher! Now Dancer!
Now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! On, Cupid!
On, Donner and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch!
To the top of the wall!
Now dash away! Dash away!
Dash away all!"

"Santa Claus should have stopped smoking a long time ago. " said Cynthia Callard executive director of Physician's for a Smoke Free Canada in an interview with Medical Post about the newly published and highly debated smoke-free edition of Twas The Night Before Christmas. "Parents should not have to choose between depriving their children of a cultural classic or exposing them to role-modelling for smoking - especially their hero and a magical figure who is given a special role in family events." Callard said.

McColl published the new edition with the knowledge from the scientific studies published in the Journal for American medicine that established that the depiction of cartoon characters smoking lead to a sympathy for tobacco products later in life. The Canadian publisher rejects the charge of censorship as readers are free to select which ever version they prefer under copyright law. "Given all we know about the risks of tobacco use and that this is a pediatric disease we need to take extra care in the cultural influences in books or movies that get kids interested in these tobacco and nicotine products. "

I love Keith Morrison but as he was reading 'Twas the Night Before Christmas', I kept expecting Santa to be found at the bottom of the chimney, murdered and surrounded by his toys because it turned out Mrs. Claus wanted the insurance money and she hired Rudolph to off him. I guess I've watched Dateline a little too much over the past several years.

I love Keith Morrison and I have watched Dateline for years. I guess that's why I kept expecting Keith to read that Santa had been found murdered at the bottom of the chimney, surrounded by all of his toys, and it turned out Mrs. Claus had him killed for the insurance money. And she had hired Rudolph to do it.

Thank you Keith... I absolutely love your voice and watch the Dateline stories when you are the correspondent with joy. I can't think of a better gift to get me in the Christmas spirit!

Andrew

What a fantastic rendition of a classic! So much warmth comes through in Mr. Morrison's reading of this tale. Bravo!