In 2021, the United States Postal Service issued a set of four Forever stamps picturing different scenes from the classic Christmas poem “A Visit From St. Nicholas.” The set was even named after the poem, though shortened slightly to A Visit From St. Nick. The stamps picture St. Nicholas on a roof about to go down a chimney, a fireplace with stockings, St. Nicholas winking, and a view of him flying across the sky in his sleigh.
“A Visit From St. Nicholas” was first published on December 23, 1823, in the Troy Sentinel from Troy, New York. It was written anonymously at first, but in 1837, Clement Clarke Moore came forward as the author. It is said that, as a professor, Moore was initially reluctant to be associated with such a nonacademic piece of writing. History says it was his children who finally convinced him to take credit.
Today, countless places around the world host readings of “A Visit From St. Nicholas” (often nicknamed “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas”) around the holiday season. Oftentimes, the first time children hear the poem is when it’s read by a parent or grandparent. The experience creates a lasting memory that sticks with you for all Christmases to come.
