Nick portrayed him as a tall, thin, stern man in a bishop’s hat who brought children both gifts and punishments. 6, became a popular celebration in medieval Europe. He became known for generosity, such as giving children presents and gifting dowries to young women in need. Afterward, some of Artemis’ traits began showing up in legends as characteristics of St. Nicholas, an early Christian bishop in what is now Turkey, was said to have destroyed a temple to Artemis, which he believed was idolatrous. Some scholars argue that the idea of a magical being bringing gifts and good cheer can be traced all the way back to the Greek goddess Artemis.

Santa Claus had undergone many makeovers in the Western imagination by the time readers were introduced to “‘Twas the Night before Christmas.” No matter who wrote it, the poem is a fascinating object that has shaped Christmases past, present – and maybe yet to come. Every December, library staff shares our multiple copies of the poem in an exhibit to celebrate the holiday season.

Moore – a 19th-century scholar at the General Theological Seminary in New York, where I work as a reference librarian – has been credited with writing the poem in 1822 for his children. She told Todd Moe that in 2012, she published a revised version of the poem, which brought her some unwanted negative attention.But this poem has been steeped in controversy, and debate still looms over who the true author is. Recently McColl visited Constable Hall, in Lewis County, where many believe Moore wrote the poem during a summer visit with his cousins. She says it's the most-published, most-read, most-memorized, and most-collected book in all of Christmas literature. Her latest book, Twas The Night - The Art and History of the Classic Christmas Poem, brings both her love of history, art and illustration to the story behind the poem. Pamela McColl has researched the poem and its origins for ten years, and her new book celebrates its bicentennial.Ĭanadian author and publisher Pamela McColl has researched the poem and its origins for ten years. It was published, authorless, in the Troy Sentinel newspaper in December of 1823. Moore was a rich scholar from Manhattan who claimed he wrote the poem, 'A Visit from St. There's a new book that celebrates 200 years of the most famous Christmas poem ever written in English, which probably has roots here in the North Country.Ĭlement C.

The night before christmas poem book