St. Nick Redux

It’s that time of year again—a time for newbies and hucksters to reinvent Christmas, repurpose, reuse, refresh. The rest of us, I suspect, may be content merely to revisit some version of Christmas past.

One version that is a particular favorite is the one given life in Clement C. Moore’s poem, known variously as “A Visit from St. Nicholas,” “Twas the Night Before Christmas,” and simply “The Night Before Christmas.” Clement Clarke Moore (right, July 15, 1779 – July 10, 1863) must be given credit for shaping our modern-day Santa Claus, his basic physical appearance and character, white beard and jelly belly and all that. However, like Shakespeare, Moore’s authorship has been called into question. Some have suggested that the real author could be Henry Livingston, Jr., a distant relative of Moore’s wife. I’ll leave that debate for scholars to argue. The fact of the poem—originally published anonymously in 1823—is sufficient for the season.

St. Nicholas, “a right jolly old elf,” offered at the time a counter-character to the then-popular image of a venerated saint—Father Christmas in Britain or Sinterklaas in Holland—who traditionally turned up on St. Nicholas Day, usually December 6 (though December 19 in most Orthodox countries). Across Europe that day is still reserved for children, and St. Nicholas is a bringer of gifts. Our Santa Claus starts with this tradition. Moore reinvented the holy father as the tubby, magical fellow who cruises around the world in a flying sleigh pulled by eight tiny reindeer—we know their names: Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donder, and Blitzen. Donder (sometimes Dunder or Donner) and Blitzen (or Blixem) are a nod to the Dutch words for “thunder” and “lightning.” (Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer didn’t appear until 1939.)

Since the mid-1800s Moore’s St. Nick has shaped our modern Christmas mythology. Naturally, this version also has been a frequent subject of parody, reinvention, and reiteration. The poem was crafted as a silent movie in 1905 and inspired Tim Burton’s 1993 animated film, The Nightmare Before Christmas. Singer Perry Como recorded a spoken version in 1953, although the poem had been set to music in 1942 and has since been recorded by various artists, including Dave Seville, who included it in a 1963 album, Christmas with The Chipmunks, Volume 2.

All that aside, the poem is still fun to read in its original version, preferably to a child. Or record it and send it to all the grandchildren. Or find Basil Rathbone’s 1939 recording. Or Perry Como’s. Or Jack Palance’s in 2001. You get the picture.