author
Clement Clarke Moore
1779–1863
Best known for the poem later called “’Twas the Night Before Christmas,” this New York scholar helped shape the modern image of Santa Claus. He was also a teacher of classical and biblical subjects whose life reached well beyond a single famous holiday verse.
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About the author
Born in New York City in 1779, Clement Clarke Moore grew up in a prominent family and was educated at Columbia College. He became a scholar of languages and religion, and spent much of his career connected to the Episcopal Church and to teaching.
Moore is remembered above all for “A Visit from St. Nicholas,” the poem that begins with the famous line about the night before Christmas. First published anonymously in 1823 and later included in his 1844 collection Poems, it played a major part in popular Christmas tradition by describing Santa Claus, his sleigh, and his reindeer in a way that deeply influenced later holiday storytelling.
His life also included work as a writer, landowner, and supporter of religious education. Although questions about the poem’s authorship have been raised over the years, Moore remains the figure most commonly associated with it, and his name is still closely tied to one of the best-known poems in American culture.