After it was first printed in The Troy Sentinel, in 1823, Clement Moore's poem was reprinted several times, in all kinds of periodicals.

Here are listed several early versions of the poem, which appeared in almanacs, newspapers and magazines, as well as in The New-York Book of Poetry. Where possible, I've included a transcript of the poem and of editorial comments.

A study of the reprints is a survey of editorial styles and of typographical errors -- and, apparently, of versions. One section in particular has two variations: St. Nick calling to his reindeer. The original version, from the December 23, 1823, Troy Sentinel, reads

"Now! Dasher, now! Dancer, now! Prancer, and Vixen,
"On! Comet, on! Cupid, on! Dunder and Blixem;
"To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
"Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!"

With all the exclamation marks, it's lively and dramatic, especially when thundered aloud. And it's not retained in every print version: most replace two of the exclamation points in the last line, to more flatly "dash away, dash away, dash away all!" The Rural Repository, in 1836, gives the first two lines different punctuation: "Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer! now, Vixen!/ On, Comet! on, Cupid! on, Dunder and Blixen!" This is the way the lines appear in 1838, in Parley's Magazine, and in the first chapbook version, in 1848. However, in The New-York Book of Poetry, in 1837, St. Nick commands, "Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer! now, Vixen!/ On! Comet, on! Cupid, on! Donder and Blixen--" and the New York Mirror echoes this slightly less tame urging in December 1837. (Actually, the latter version is more fun to read aloud. But the 1823 version is still the most splendid.)

This list of early printings is incomplete and is constantly under construction: