For the first time it was described how Santa Claus looked and moved (he flew in the sky in a sleigh pulled by reindeer, whose names were also mentioned), and what happened when he was visiting a house on Christmas Eve with the presents.
A Visit from St. Nicholas is still the most favorite Christmas fairy-tale in America. Some researchers consider it to be “probably the most famous poem ever written by an American”. The poem influenced a lot on how Santa Claus is imagined by a whole English speaking world.