Santa’s reindeer continue to dash away, dash away, but jolly St. Nick has been stripped of his pipe in a revised version of the children’s classic ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas,’ according to a PR Newswire release.

Canadian anti-smoking advocate Pamela McColl made the edit to the 189-year-old poem by Clement Clarke Moore to combat youth smoking and prevent the poem from becoming obsolete, PR Newswire said.
"The omission of these few words do not change the material intent of the author nor do they infringe on the reader's understanding or enjoyment of the story," McColl said in the press release. "I think these edits outweigh other considerations. The best way to honour Santa and this story is to make him smoke-free."
Missing from the McColl version: “The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth, and the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath”. Sans-pipe Claus retains “a broad face and little round belly, that shook, when he laughed like a bowlful of jelly”. (pi)