I'm interested to know why Blackface performers chose this particular song with which to 'ridicule' African Americans, because the words seem to have no relevance to any race or colour, unlike the Dixie/minstrel type of songs about 'pickin'cotton' etc sung in accents from the Southern States and depicting black people in a demeaning way. I just can't picture African Americans in the mid 1880's having much to do with a sleigh ride through the snow.

If as someone suggested, it was written to celebrate Thanksgiving, doesn't that take place in November, and is there always snow in Boston at that time? I've looked up weather conditions there, and it seems there can be an inch or two, but not very often.