In this special holiday episode of Route Notes, David and Wes are joined by returning guest and world-renowned St. Nicholas scholar, Dr. Adam English, for a conversation that unwraps the surprising backstory behind the most famous Christmas poem in American history: 'Twas the Night Before Christmas.
They dig into a centuries-old authorship controversy between Clement Clarke Moore—the wealthy professor long credited with the poem—and Henry Livingston, a lesser-known abolitionist, fiddler, and poet whose life and language align more closely with the spirit of the poem. Along the way, the trio explores how the poem shaped America's Santa Claus mythology and what it means to reexamine the traditions we hold dear.
But this episode is about more than just literary detective work. The conversation takes us from Nicholas of Myra’s ancient acts of compassion—including negotiating grain during famine—to the joy of anonymous giving, Santa conventions, universal design, and the deeper purpose behind how and why we celebrate.
Recorded (unintentionally!) on St. Nicholas Day, this thoughtful, funny, and surprisingly moving episode invites listeners to rediscover Santa not just as a symbol of excess, but as a reflection of justice, generosity, and joy.

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