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A Visit from St. Nicholas
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Silhouette of Santa Claus in his sleigh pulled by reindeer flying across a full moon, with a snowy rooftop and chimney in the foreground.
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Illustration of "The Lamb" from "Songs of Innocence" by William Blake, 1879. poem; poetry
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4:043 Dickinson, Emily: A Life of Letters, This is my letter to the world/That never wrote to me; I'll tell you how the Sun Rose/A Ribbon at a time; Hope is the thing with feathers/That perches in the soul
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Emily Dickinson (1830-1886) only confirmed photograph of Emily Dickinson. 1978 scan of a Daguerreotype. ca. 1847; in the Amherst College Archives. American poet. See Notes:
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Christmas tree, holiday, pine
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Silhouette of Santa Claus in his sleigh pulled by reindeer flying across a full moon, with a snowy rooftop and chimney in the foreground.
“'Twas the night before Christmas” A magical holiday visitor bringing toys on Christmas Eve.

A Visit from St. Nicholas

narrative poem
Also known as: “’Twas the Night Before Christmas”, “Account of a Visit from St. Nicholas”, “The Night Before Christmas”(Show More)
Written by
J.E. Luebering
J.E. Luebering is Senior Vice President and Acting Editor in Chief at Encyclopaedia Britannica.
J.E. Luebering
Fact-checked by
Britannica Editors
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....
Britannica Editors
History

A Visit from St. Nicholas, narrative poem first published anonymously in the Troy Sentinel (New York) on December 23, 1823. It became an enduring part of Christmas tradition, and, because of its wide popularity, both St. Nicholas, the patron saint of children, and the legendary figure Santa Claus were permanently linked with the holiday. The poem recounts the arrival of St. Nicholas at the narrator’s home on Christmas Eve. Its opening lines set the scene:...

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