Christmas poem bought for $280,000

NEW YORK, Dec. 20 (UPI) -- An unidentified New York media executive purchased an original copy of a famed Christmas poem for $280,000.

The 540-word poem entitled "A Visit from St. Nicholas," that was auctioned off earlier this month at Heritage Auction Galleries, had been handwritten in 1860 by Clement Clarke Moore and features the immortal opening line "Twas the night before Christmas," the New York Post reported.

The purchased copy of the highly celebrated poem also comes with Moore's signature as he had apparently autographed the literary work for a friend 38 years after its creation.

Greg Rohan, who runs the auction house, said that the poem's new owner debuted the item at a recent Christmas party by reading it aloud to a group of shocked attendees.

"They thought it was the coolest thing that was," he claimed, adding that those in attendance "couldn't believe it" when the poem was revealed.