We’re continuing our theme week on 5 People Who Shaped Christmas! Today we’re talking about another author, an American this time – Washington Irving. He’s best known for his short stories Rip Van Winkle and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. But he also wrote several short stories about Christmas and really influenced the way we celebrate the holiday. Irving was the first to write about Saint Nicholas flying through the sky, which laid the groundwork for the Santa Claus we know today. He spent a a lot of time in England, and wrote a collection of short stories while living there. His Christmas stories depicted the warm-hearted English traditions he’d observed, including festive dinners, dancing, decorations, and the air of good cheer. Irving’s Christmas depictions resonated with the public here in America. He’s credited with contributing to the revival of many Christmas customs in the U.S., and Charles Dickins later cited Irving as influencing his own Christmas writings, including his classic A Christmas Carol. Learn more in the audio below!