Possible Clues:

• ''__ Christmas told the merriest tale'': Scott
• Moore verse opener
• Yuletide poem opener
• It was, poetically
• Start of a Clement Moore classic
• '-- the night before Christmas'
• "___ the night before . . ."
• "— the night before ..."
• ''___ the night before Christmas...''
• The word before "the night before . . ."