The beloved Christmas poem, A Visit From St. Nicholas, is often referred to by its opening line, ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas. The poem was originally composed to entertain the author’s children. It was never intended for publication, yet it has become a holiday tradition that has helped shape the legend of Santa Claus for generations.
The Author of A Visit From St. Nicholas
A Visit From St. Nicholas was written in 1822 by Reverend Clement Clarke Moore, a professor at New York’s Theological seminary. A Victorian website states that Moore composed the poem while he was on his way to purchase a turkey in Jefferson Market in New York City. He was riding over the snowy streets in a sleigh, writing as he listened to the sound of sleigh bells. Later that night, he delighted his children with the poem.
The following year a visitor named Harriet Butler saw the poem, copied it and sent it to the Troy Sentinel in Upstate NY. The newspaper published the poem anonymously on December 23, 1823. The poem was reprinted in newspapers across the country and continued to be published anonymously with either one of two titles; A Visit from St. Nicholas or The Night Before Christmas. It was included in an 1837 book titled The New York Book of Poetry, still with an anonymous author. Finally, in 1838, Moore claimed authorship of the poem and, in 1844, published it using his name in a book called Moore’s Poems.
Controversy about the Author of A Visit From St. Nicholas
The authorship of A Visit From St. Nicholas is not without controversy. In the book Author Unknown: On the Trail of Anonymous (Henry Holt and Co., 2000), Vassar College English professor Don Foster wrote that the poem was actually composed by Henry Livingston Jr., a Scots-Dutch Revolutionary War major, not Reverend Clement Clarke Moore. In his book, Foster investigates the origins of many literary works published with an anonymous author, including this favorite holiday poem.
No matter who originally wrote A Visit From St. Nicholas, there is no doubt that it has had an impact on the Christmas holiday. The image of Santa Claus as described in the poem is the one that comes to mind today as children are tucked into bed on Christmas Eve with the hopes that the jolly old elf will be coming down the chimney to fill the stockings and leave behind a few choice items from the bundle of toys.
Sources:
Ban Breathnach, Sarah. Mrs. Sharp’s Traditions: Reviving Victorian Family Celebrations of Comfort & Joy. Simple Abundance Press; Scribner. New York. 1990.
Foster, Don. Author Unknown: On the Trail of Anonymous. Henry Holt & Co. New York. 2000.
A Victorian website. Article titled Christmas, A Visit From St. Nicholas by Clement C. Moore. Accessed November 8, 2010.
Barb Hacker - Barb is a busy mom of three boys and a freelance writer. She is an avid reader who enjoys reading about history, parenting and gardening. ...
