“A Visit from St. Nicholas” aka “Twas the Night Before Christmas” has retained its status as one of the most well-known works of American literature since its first appearance in 1823 as an anonymously published work of verse. Although it has certainly undergone its fair share of minor alterations—most notably being published under at least three different titles—and was met by the 21st century with an unexpected plot twist regarding its true authorship, this relatively short and eminently recitable narrative poem has sustained its position at the vanguard of the Christmas season even as other creative works on the subject have come and gone.
The primary reason for its ageless appeal—beside its sing-song rhythm and irresistible rhymes—is simple enough to explain. With the possible exception of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol it pretty stands alone as the literary work which did the most create the iconic postcard-version vision of what Christmas should look and feel like. While the poem does suffer from the notable lack of what would become central symbol of modern Christmas celebrations—the decorated tree—it otherwise features imagery that has ever since been replicated in stories, movies and songs about secular celebration of the season. Most important, of course, is that is the go-to source for the names of Santa’s reindeer. Long before Rudulph entered the picture with his glowing nose, almost every Christian kid in America could name Santa’s reindeer and probably with more accuracy than they could name the planets or even Walt Disney’s seven dwarfs. Of course, some leniency must be made for the tendency since the middle of the 20th century to misidentify Donder as “Donner” but it is a mistake close enough that it hardly matters much.
And while it is true that the delivery of Christmas gifts is identified as St. Nick rather than Santa Claus and that he is not dressed in Santa’s familiar red and white grab, the description of the main character is also close enough to overlook the details. In fact, it is in the details that “A Visit from St. Nicholas” begins to fall apart as the presumed portrait of an iconic Christmas scene. The fact is that in addition to there being no Santa, no Christmas tree, and no red and white outfit, St. Nick and his reindeer are not regular-sized, but miniature versions of their modern counterparts and, on top of everything else, Nicholas is a heavy smoker which has gradually become an absolute no-no in depictions of Santa deemed suitable for children.
Just as most people get the title wrong by referring to it by its opening words, however, these details ultimately fade into background. After all, “Donner” was not even originally Donder, but Dunder and Blitzen was originally Blixem (and even for a brief period of time Blixen in order to sharpen the rhyme with Vixen). While the poem is not really and truly the iconic portrait of Christmas that is still celebrated today, it is close enough to count. After all, is it really such a big deal that hardly anyone on the planet actually knows what sugar-plums are?
