: Clement Clarke Moore’s 1823 poem, "A Visit from St. Nicholas," (better known as "The Night Before Christmas" ) solidified the imagery of Santa descending "with a bound" down the chimney in American folklore. The Logistics of Modern Entry
As modern architecture has evolved, the legend has adapted to explain how Santa enters homes without chimneys or with very small ones:
: The Dutch figure Sinterklaas was said to deliver gifts by entering through chimneys, a tradition that traveled to America with European immigrants.
: 15th-century beliefs associated chimneys with magical passages and witchcraft.
The tradition of Santa entering through the chimney dates back to a time when they were the primary entry point for homes that lacked modern doors or second-floor windows.