Katharine Lee Bates — "Goody Claus on a Sleigh Ride"

Dec 23, 2025
13 mins

Episode Description

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Before penning the lyrics to “America the Beautiful,” Katharine Lee Bates shone a spotlight on the invisible (and not so invisible) labor tackled by an unsung Christmas heroine, Mrs. Claus. Bates’s 1888 poem “Goody Claus on a Sleigh Ride” imagines Santa’s spouse setting the record straight about who really does most of the work in preparation for Christmas. In this holiday episode, Amy confesses her own cynical feelings about the Yuletide season and reads this humorous poem with its surprisingly satirical and feminist bent. Listeners who tune in will also receive a special “Lost Ladies of Lit” holiday freebie!

Mentioned in this episode:

“Goody Claus on a Sleigh Ride” by Katharine Lee Bates

Lost Ladies of Lit Episode No. 237 on Katharine Lee Bates


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