CHRISTMAS BELLS – Longfellow’s Poem and the Civil War (Longfellow Days)

Author John Babin will speak on Longfellow’s inspiration for the poem “Christmas Bells,” written during the American Civil War, and explain how this classic Longfellow poem became the beloved Christmas carol.

John William Babin is the author of three books on Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s life and poetry. John’s work as a research assistant has been acknowledged in several books and articles published worldwide about the Longfellow Family. He works at the Maine Historical Society as the Visitor Services Manager of the Wadsworth Longfellow House. 

In 2025 Babin published a children’s book, I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day. This book contains a story about the poet, the poem, and explains how the poem became the carol we all know. There are colorful illustrations accompanying the words of the carol.

Longfellow Days Website