’Twas The Night Before Christmas

Originally Aired: December 21, 1953 Suspense #531, "'Twas The Night Before Christmas," In this poignant holiday drama, young Kathy awakens on Christmas Eve morning expecting her parents to arrive home from Paris at six o'clock. Her housekeeper, Miss Buff, struggles to keep the little girl occupied with plans to decorate the tree, take a walk in the snow, and visit relatives. As the morning stretches into afternoon with no word from Kathy's mother and father, Miss Buff deflects phone calls from newspapermen and tries desperately to maintain the child's excitement about the holiday season. They venture out into the snowy streets, encountering carolers and Santa Claus, while Miss Buff fights back tears. When they visit Kathy's Aunt and Uncle and her cousin Johnny, the adults speak in hushed tones about a plane that took off from Paris on schedule but lost radio contact after Ireland. A storm over the ocean has left everyone without answers. As the terrible truth begins to dawn on young Kathy, she must confront the devastating realization that her parents may never come home, transforming what should have been a joyous Christmas reunion into a day of uncertainty and heartbreak.