The Radio Reading Room

A Visit from St. Nicholas or the Night Before Christmas.

Myron Hieronymous Thomas Season 3 Episode 6

In this episode we feature the classic poem " 'Twas the Night Before Christmas". The poem was originally titled “A Visit from St. Nicholas” and first published anonymously in the Troy Sentinel newspaper on December 23, 1823. [en.wikipedia.org]It quickly became a cornerstone of American Christmas traditions, shaping the modern image of Santa Claus—a jolly figure with rosy cheeks, twinkling eyes, and a sleigh pulled by eight reindeer. Clement Clarke Moore, a scholar and professor, claimed authorship in 1837 and included the poem in his 1844 collection Poems. Moore reportedly wrote it for his children during Christmas 1822. Read by Myron Hieronymous Thomas.