The Night Before Christmas Poem and Santa Legend
A historical note recounts Clement C. Moore writing A Visit From St. Nicholas in 1822 after walking to town for a turkey. The poem popularized Santa Claus, with early portraits by Reese and Darley and Nast’s 1863 illustrated edition shaping the modern Santa image. It also surveys early Christmas hymns by Ambrose and Prudentius and later English poets.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Clement CG. Moore
General Theological Seminary
New York City
St. Nicholas
New York
Chelsea Village
West Twenty-third Street
Moores
Moore
Troy
Santa Claus
Doctor Moore
America
John Reese
St. Nick
F. C. C. Darley
New ‘York
Darley
United States Army Engineer Battalion
Grenada
Nicaragua
Mary Christmas
Boston
Mass
Hoover
Thomas Nast
Harper's Weekly
Nast
Ambrose
Milan
Prudentius
Sedulius
Jesus
Ben Jonson
George Wither
Jonson
Lights Through the Ages of Home Yet to Modern Day
A nostalgic riff traces lighting from coal oil lamps to Edison bulbs. It recalls hanging parlor lamps with prisms, brittle betty lamps, and candles, then celebrates electric light and safer reading by artificial illumination. It notes changing habits and the joy of long night reading.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
New England
Rome
Egypt
Insuhts
Tear Ebers
Windows of memory and light in daily life
A reflective piece discusses windows as frames of natural beauty and memories. It compares church windows to memory of life’s workers and cites Shakespeare and a noted poet to highlight how windows symbolize perception and the soul. The author ties memory to shaping current truth.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Shakespeare
Richmond
Indianapolis News
Seven Mistakes of Life Listed by Philosopher
The Daytona News reports a famous writer listing seven life errors. They include crushing others for personal gain and worrying about unchangeable matters. The list urges abandoning trivial preferences to focus on important aims and stresses reading, saving, and open belief without coercion.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Dayton News
Hopeful Robby A Shares Candy With Sister
A child named Robby A saves a second stick of candy for his little sister. He eats one piece quickly but eyes the remaining one with hunger while explaining he hopes his sister won’t want it.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Robby
Poet Editor Dialog Sparks Early Start in Rome
A terse exchange from Il Travaso in Rome captures a push to begin writing, as the editor urges the writer to start now rather than give up. The brief debate frames poetry as a craft to be pursued, not abandoned.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Ieditor
Rome
Also Mentioned on This Page
Iife
Light
Angela
John Milton
Charles Wesley
Nahum Tate
Ali
Angel of the Lord
Y Elmo Scott Watson
Oui Fom
Fe Huglas
Unirminry
Sith
Carey
Dom Cat Vu Bhai Haaell
Cael Wormine
Bonsler
St. Mella Tor
Nicholas
le Coley
Austin
Texas
Superior
Wis
Herbert A. Ronn
Pittsburgh
Edward ©. Claus
Claus Avenue
Gov
William Bradford
Plymouth Plantation
Govr
Massachusetts
General Court
Bay
Cotton Mather
Ushat
Parker
Druggista
Hiscox Chem
Wks
Patchorne
N.Y
Hiscox Chemical Works
Patchogue
N,y
United States
Forest Hilla
Long Island
Vacation
California
Cree & Chaffey
Aim Spring
Billings
This is just the beginning! Our collection holds over 300 years of history, including rare newspapers, obituaries, marriage records, birth records, and so much more—most of which you won’t find anywhere else!