Forsiden på en utgave av diktet fra 1912 med illustrasjoner av Jessie Willcox Smith
***A Visit from St. Nicholas***, også kjent som *The Night Before Christmas* eller *Twas the Night Before Christmas*, er et dikt som ble publisert anonymt i USA år 1823. Forfatteren av diktet er Clement Clarke Moore. Diktet har spilt en stor rolle i utviklingen av forestillingene om julenissen fra midten av 1800-tallet til i dag, både når det gjelder utseende og oppførsel. Her blir nissens nattlige besøk og sleden med reinsdyrene nevnt for første gang. 

Julenissens angivelig åtte rein gis også sine navn her. Sangen *Rudolf er rød på nesen* fra 1939 bygger videre på myteuniverset fra dette diktet, og introduserer Rudolf som det ukjente niende reinsdyret.

Diktet er oversatt til norsk av Halldis Moren Vesaas under tittelen *Da Sankte Klaus var her*, og utgitt i Thorbjørn Egners lesebok bind IX, side 164.

I originalversjonen lyder diktet slik:

> 
> 'Twas the night before Christmas, when all thro' the house  
> 
> Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;  
> 
> The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,  
> 
> In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;  
> 
> The children were nestled all snug in their beds,  
> 
> While visions of sugar plums danced in their heads  
> 
>   
> 
> And Mama in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap,  
> 
> Had just settled DOWN for a long winter's nap  
> 
> When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,  
> 
> I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.  
> 
> Away to the window I flew like a flash,  
> 
> Tore open the shutters, and threw up the sash.  
> 
>   
> 
> The moon on the breast of the new fallen snow,  
> 
> Gave the luster of mid-day to objects below;  
> 
> When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,  
> 
> But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer,  
> 
> With a little old driver, so lively and quick,  
> 
> I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.  
> 
>   
> 
> More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,  
> 
> And he whistled, and shouted, and call'd them by name:  
> 
> **"Now! Dasher, now! Dancer, now! Prancer and Vixen,**  
> 
> **"On! Comet, on! Cupid, on! Dunder and Blixem;**  
> 
> "To the top of the porch! To the top of the wall!  
> 
> "Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!"  
> 
>   
> 
> As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,  
> 
> When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky;  
> 
> So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,  
> 
> With the sleigh full of toys – and St. Nicholas too:  
> 
> And then in a twinkling, I heard on the roof  
> 
> The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.  
> 
>   
> 
> As I drew in my head, and was turning around,  
> 
> Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound:  
> 
> He was dress'd all in fur, from his head to his foot,  
> 
> And his clothes were all tarnish'd with ashes and soot;  
> 
> A bundle of toys was flung on his back,  
> 
> And he look'd like a peddler just opening his pack:  
> 
>   
> 
> His eyes – how they twinkled! His dimples: how merry,  
> 
> His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry;  
> 
> His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,  
> 
> And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow;  
> 
> The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,  
> 
> And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.  
> 
>   
> 
> He had a broad face, and a little round belly  
> 
> That shook when he laugh'd, like a bowl full of jelly:  
> 
> He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,  
> 
> And I laugh'd when I saw him in spite of myself;  
> 
> A wink of his eye and a twist of his head  
> 
> Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.  
> 
>   
> 
> He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,  
> 
> And fill'd all the stockings; then turn'd with a jerk,  
> 
> And laying his finger aside of his nose  
> 
> And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose.  
> 
> He sprung to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,  
> 
> And away they all flew, like the down of a thistle:  
> 
>   
> 
> But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight–  
> 
> Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night.
> 
> 
>

Referanser
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1. ↑   **(engelsk)**. ThoughtCo .  Manglende eller tom `|tittel=` (hjelp) *nettsted med kommentarer om skrivemåter for disse navnene*

Eksterne lenker
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* Fotografier av illustrerte utgaver fra 1840, med Moore oppført som opphavsmann
* Donner or Dunder?; Om endringer i reinsdyrenes navn fra de første utgavene; fra nettstedet snopes.com
* E-bok-utgave av bildebokversjon fra 1912, illustrert av Jessie Willcox Smith, fra nettstedet Project Gutenberg
* TheNightBeforeChristmas.com; nettsted med flere illustrasjoner til diktet


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