Tis the night before Christmas when all through the house Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse. These are the opening lines of the poem entitled, The Night Before Christmas. Charles Moore wrote the poem for his family on Christmas Eve in 1822.
He never intended that it would be published. But a good-intentioned family friend submitted it to a newspaper editor, and it made its first appearance in print on December 23, 1823. It may now be the most published, most read, most memorized, and most collected book of all Christmas literature.
The opening line of the poem creates a false impression of slumbering mice also awaiting the arrival of Santa Clause. In recent weeks the festive mouse and their droppings have been showing up in cupboards, basements, food storage areas, bathrooms, bedrooms, and garages. Could they be getting ready for Christmas? Mice may look like cute curious creatures, but in reality, they are not the adorable Christmas mouse. They can spread diseases through their urine, droppings, saliva, and their nesting materials. These diseases can be deadly. Because of the risk associated with mice, cleaning up their nesting, or spots that they have defecated or urinated, should not be taken lightly. Vacuuming and sweeping mouse droppings is a big no-no as it can release more bacteria into the air, and the dust can make you ill. Always wear a mask and latex or vinyl gloves while cleaning up mouse-infected spots.
