Chapter two · A little inspiration. A Christmas secret.

Clement’s Study

Step into the world of The Night Before Christmas and discover a huge secret about the little mouse behind a big inspiration.

Chapter two

Beyond the door at 25 Dickens’ Lane

A Christmas classic

The Night Before Christmas

A very small inspiration

A secret from the Christmas Mice

A familiar Christmas. An unfamiliar secret.

Every story needs a little inspiration.

Beyond the door at 25 Dickens’ Lane, a poet is about to find the words that generations will remember. And somewhere close by, a very small helper has a secret to keep.

Step into Clement’s Study, the second chapter of your London Christmas Village adventure. Having left the bustle of the outside world behind, your family enters the imagined world of Clement Clarke Moore and one of Christmas’s best-loved poems.

Here, literary history opens a door into our own story. In the world of London Christmas Village, Father Christmas and the Christmas Mice have a secret to protect. A poet writing by candlelight may be just the person to help them keep it.

Now it is the children’s turn to be let in on a secret kept for centuries. They will leave among the trusted few who know a little more of Father Christmas’s hidden story—and throughout their journey, come to understand how Christmas magic really works.

A poem passed from one Christmas to the next

’Twas the night before Christmas…

A Visit from St. Nicholas, better known by its opening words, ’Twas the Night Before Christmas, first appeared anonymously in a New York newspaper in 1823. Traditionally credited to Clement Clarke Moore, it became a much-loved part of Christmas storytelling.

Its Christmas Eve visitor, reindeer-drawn sleigh and journey down the chimney helped shape the familiar picture of Father Christmas that generations of children have imagined. Moore’s name has become closely associated with that sense of anticipation: a sleeping household, a quiet night and the possibility of something extraordinary.

Read the complete poem: ’Twas the Night Before Christmas.

In our Christmas story

The smallest helper. The loveliest inspiration.

Some stories begin with a grand idea. Others need a little nudge from an unexpected friend.

In our telling, the words that begin a famous Christmas poem carry a secret of their own. Father Christmas and the Christmas Mice need the world to believe that every creature is sleeping soundly—even the mice. A whispered inspiration gives the poet a line to remember.

We will leave the discovery for your visit. For now, remember that the smallest helpers can have an important part to play.

A doorway into the adventure

A famous poem.
A little mouse.
A Christmas secret.

When London changed, a little help made all the difference

Who helps Christmas find its way in?

In Victorian times, London’s rooftops begin to change. Chimneys disappear, taller buildings rise and Father Christmas wonders how he will reach the children waiting inside. Then a very small voice offers to help.

The magical mice know the homes they watch over: the creaky floorboards, the sleeping pets and the places where stockings wait. Together, they become the Christmas Mice, each with a special job to do.

The Pathfinders

They know the ways in and out, helping Father Christmas find his route through a changing city.

The Pet Whisperers

A gentle word for the dogs and a little negotiation with the cats help keep Christmas Eve peaceful.

The Timekeepers

With tiny pocket watches, they keep an eye on the hours until dawn. There is a whole city to visit before morning.

With so much happening while families sleep, how could anyone believe that not even a mouse was stirring? That is where our poet comes in.

From the street into the story

A little wonder to carry with you

01 / Enter

Step beyond number 25

Dickens’ Lane has set your imagination in motion. Clement’s Study brings you closer to the story and the Christmas secret at its heart.

02 / Discover

A new side to a familiar poem

Recognise a Christmas classic, then discover why its familiar opening matters to the mice in our telling.

03 / Continue

Let the adventure unfold

Carry that secret of the Christmas Mice with you as your Journey continues to Father Christmas’s Grotto.

Choose how your story unfolds

Included in Full & Pre-School Journeys

Both Journeys begin with Dickens’ Lane and Clement’s Study before continuing to Father Christmas’s Grotto and the Winter Garden.

The Full Journey

Follow all seven experiences, including the Gift Givers Guildhall and Aurora’s All-Elf Theatre, before enjoying the Village Square & Children’s Market.

The Pre-School Journey

Begin with the same invitation into the story, meet Father Christmas and explore the Winter Garden before spending time in the Village Square.

The Village Square Journey does not include Clement’s Study.

Good to know

Your questions answered

What is Clement’s Study?

Clement’s Study is the second stop of the Full and Pre-School Journeys. It introduces the world of Clement Clarke Moore’s famous Christmas poem and the Christmas Mouse inspiration in London Christmas Village’s own story.

Which poem inspired this experience?

A Visit from St. Nicholas, commonly known as ’Twas the Night Before Christmas, is the poem associated with Clement Clarke Moore that inspires this chapter.

Did the Christmas Mice really inspire the poem’s opening?

Only Father Christmas and Clement Clarke Moore know for sure.

Which tickets include Clement’s Study?

Clement’s Study is included in the Full Journey and Pre-School Journey. It is not included in the Village Square Journey.

What comes next?

After Clement’s Study, your Journey continues to Father Christmas’s Grotto, followed by the Winter Garden.

Can I visit Clement’s Study on its own?

Clement’s Study is part of the Full and Pre-School Journeys. A separate Study-only ticket is not available.

How do I book a SEND session?

Choose the Full Journey or Pre-School Journey, then look for sessions marked SEND when selecting your date and time.

Choose your Journey & book

Make a little room for Christmas

28 November–23 December 2026 · Shepherd’s Bush Green, London W12