It has been almost 200 years since "A Visit From St. Nicholas" was first published, and the iterations of the poem keep on coming. Most versions still adhere to the Christmas theme, but some also make fun of other holidays and traditions. Whether or not something is a parody still tends to come down to questions of how famous the holiday is and whether or not the author is writing for or about an underrepresented group or religion. Reimaginations from our holdings range from Hanukkah celebrations to Thanksgiving rebellions.

We have throughout this exhibit highlighted the different names and conceptions authors use for Santa’s sleigh and his reindeer. In these parodies, sleighs are for example transformed into Cadillac Eldorados, and reindeer become turkeys, named after the Stooges and a Marx Brother. These examples unite the staples of Moore’s poem and the cultural specificities that new authors wish to make fun of.

'Twas the Night Before Thanksgiving (2020)

T'was the Night Before Hanukkah (2012)