The Night Before Christmas

0:03 Calarugus Shark Media. I am Mark Ellison. In today's theme is the Night Before Christmas? Clement Clark Moore's poem, its history and impact on modern Santa Claus imagery. Question one. First printed anonymously two days before Christmas in the early nineteenth century, in which newspaper and in what year did a visit from Saint Nicholas first appear to American readers? Question two. Most people know the poem by its opening line, twas the Night before Christmas? But what was the original title by which Clement Clark Moore presented it in his book of Poems? Question three. In the eighteen twenty three printing, the last two of Santa's eight reindeer were given names drawn from Dutch words for thunder and lightning. What were those original names? Question four. The poem's bouncy galloping rhythm perfect for a sleigh ride, comes from a specific metrical pattern frequently heard in children's verse. What is the poem's meter?

1:19 Question Five? Decades after the poem appeared, which nineteen the century illustrator helped cement the modern fur trimmed, rotund image of Santa in Harper's Weekly Drawing on Moore's details like the sleigh, chimney visits and reindeer. We'll be right back with these answers after this break, welcome back. Question one, Where and when was the poem first published? Answer? Troy Sentinel, eighteen twenty three. It debuted anonymously in the Troy Sentinel of Troy, New York, on December twenty third, eighteen twenty three, and was quickly reprinted nationwide, helping popularized the American Santa.

2:02 Question two, what is the poem's original title? Answer? A Visit from Saint Nicholas. Though often nicknamed by its first line, Moore included it as a visit from Saint Nicholas in his eighteen forty four volume. The earliest newspaper printing ran it as account of a Visit from Saint Nicholas. Question three, What were the original names for the last two reindeer? Answer dunder and blixum. Later editors shifted the pair to the Germanic donner and Blitzen, which retained the meaning and became standard in modern versions. Question four, in what meter is the poem written? Answer anapestic totrameter. Each line typically contains four anipests dot a dum, a lively beat also famously used by Doctor Seuss, making the poem easy to recite and remember. Question five, which illustrator cemented Santa's modern look, answer Thomas Nast. Beginning in eighteen sixty three, Nast Santa cartoons in Harper's Weekly fused Moore's imagery with new ideas like a North Pole base and a naudience nice list, shaping today's Santa iconography. That concludes today's five daily trivia questions.

3:06 I'm Mark Ellison, and today's questions were crafted with the help of AI technology. See you Tomorrow.