‘The Night Before Christmas’ was first published anonymously under the title ‘Account of a Visit from St. Nicholas’ in 1823. Over a decade later, Clement Clarke Moore claimed authorship. Moore was a rather bookish professor and didn't initially want to be connected with such unscholarly verse! He is said to have composed the poem on a snowy winter’s day during a shopping trip in New York which was being carried out via sleigh. Moore claimed that the inspiration for the character of Saint Nicholas was a local Dutch handyman, and the professor dreamed up many of the things that we associate with Santa today – including reindeer and elves.