In the 1823 poem “A Visit from St. Nicholas,” what does Santa carry on his back?

In the 1823 poem “A Visit from St. Nicholas,” Santa carries a bundle of toys on his back.

The poem describes Saint Nicholas arriving on Christmas Eve with a miniature sleigh and eight reindeer. After entering through the chimney, he carries “a bundle of toys” on his back, establishing an early literary detail of the modern Santa Claus image.

The poem was first published anonymously in the Troy Sentinel in New York on December 23, 1823. It is commonly associated with Clement Clarke Moore, although authorship has been debated by literary historians.

The phrase is sometimes paraphrased as a sack or bag of presents, but the poem’s actual wording is “a bundle of toys.” This detail appears alongside other familiar elements, including the chimney entrance, reindeer, sleigh, and Santa’s cheerful laugh.