Clement C. Moore (1779–1863) was a professor of Oriental and Greek literature at Columbia College (now Columbia University) in New York.

The poem 'Twas the Night Before Christmas' was first published anonymously in 1823 but was later attributed to Moore and was included in an 1844 anthology of his works.

Moore's former land in New York is noted today by Clement Clarke Moore Park where local residents often gather on the last Sunday before Advent for a reading of his most famous poem.

O. Henry (1862-1910) had a short but colourful life. Born William Porter in Greensboro, North Carolina, he initially worked as a pharmacist before moving into journalism. In 1896 he was arrested for embezzling funds while working as a bookkeeper for a bank.

In a moment of madness, he absconded on his way to the courthouse before his trial and fled to Honduras for six months. He returned to face trial after learning that his wife was dying of tuberculosis and served three years in jail. While in prison, he adopted the pen name O. Henry, and after his release he found great fame and popularity as a short story writer.

Charles Dickens was born in 1812 and became the most popular novelist of the Victorian era.

A prolific writer, he published more than a dozen novels in his lifetime, including Oliver Twist, Great Expectations and Hard Times, most of which have been adapted many times over for radio, stage and screen.