A Visit From St. Nicholas by Clement Moore

A Visit From St. Nicholas was first written in 1823, although its author did not acknowledge the poem until 1837. It is sometimes called The Night Before Christmas or Twas the Night Before Christmas, based on the first line of the poem. This poem has shaped many of America's modern ideas about Santa Claus. It gives us his reindeers' names, and the concept of Santa coming up and down the chimney. It is a true Christmas classic with countless illustrators taking up their pens to give us new drawings. I love this story.