Twas the Night: The Art and History of the Classic Christmas Poem

by Pamela McColl

Overview

Twas The Night – The Art and History of the Classic Christmas Poem is the first cultural history to be published of the highly-celebrated poem A Visit from St. Nicholas, also known as Twas The Night Before Christmas.

The artwork and literary references presented in this publication were selected to demonstrate the way in which “The Poet of Christmas Eve” drew upon two centuries of winter cultural traditions and customs, as well as elements from the spiritual and secular sectors, in the creation of the work. Dozens of vintage illustrations were carefully chosen for this publication from the thousands of editions published over years, along with examples of works by both commercial illustrators and fine artist who were drawn to the poem's enchanting imagery.

Over two hundred images are presented in the book including artwork by Jessie Willcox Smith, N.C. Wyeth, Norman Rockwell, Andy Warhol, N.C. Wyeth, F.O.C. Darley, and the incomparable Thomas Nast. In 2022 and 2023 the poem marks two bi-centennial milestones; first read aloud by Clement Clarke Moore of New York on Christmas Eve 1822, with its print debut appearing in the Troy Sentinel newspapers of Troy, New York for December 23, 1823.

The poem has been referred to as: “ a little masterpiece of juvenile fiction” “one of the best poems for children ever written,” “the most-published, most-read, most-memorized, and most-collected book in all of Christmas literature.” This book is a celebration of the poem's brilliance and its phenomenon and enduring popularity.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781927979303
Publisher:	Grafton and Scratch Publishers
Publication date:	09/08/2022
Pages:	264
Sales rank:	601,951
Product dimensions:	8.80(w) x 11.10(h) x 1.10(d)

About the Author

In 2012, Pamela McColl published a revised edition of Twas The Night Before Christmas that attracted international media attention, from The Colbert Report to the BBC, her decision to edit out the reference to Santa Claus smoking a pipe was a topic over dinner tables from Brisbane to New York. In appreciation of the classic poem marking a bi-centennial anniverary in 2022/2023 McColl brings her extensive knowledge of the poem's history to this new publication. McColl studied art and history and went on to do graduate work in the field of cultural history before working as a corporate art consultant for 20 years. From there she launched an art and book publication company in 1997. This latest book production is the culmination of ten years of research into the 200 year history of the poem.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 Introducing The Poem 9

Chapter 2 The Enchanted Past 26

Chapter 3 Crossing The Seas 48

Chapter 4 An American Saint 68

Chapter 5 The Legend 94

Chapter 6 The Manuscripts 110

Chapter 7 Clement Clarke Moore 126

Chapter 8 In Print 146

Chapter 9 Good Cheer 161

Chapter 10 Home for the Holidays 181

Chapter 11 Spreading The News 204

Chapter 12 The Silver Lining 225

Chapter 13 Poetic License 238

Chapter 14 Collecting The Poem 250

Index 263

Acknowledgments 264

Editorial Reviews

"McColl provides a collection of illustrations, snippets of literature, and historical tidbits related to Clement Clark Moore’s renowned rhyme. The author’s illuminating peek into the formulation and reception of the poem is well organized, with lovely, colorful images from various sources peppering the pages...a detailed, thorough, and beautiful work for lovers of Christmas and fans of the holiday’s most famous poem."
—KIRKUS

"Readers looking for a keepsake holiday celebration suitable for individual study and family sharing alike will find the perfect combination of art and scholarship in Twas the Night: The Art and History of the Classic Christmas Poem. The book is an unexpected treasure trove, surprising because, with so very many books centered on Christmas traditions and history, it's refreshing to see an artistic and literary review of a classic poem that breathes new life into traditional perceptions."
—D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review

"Pamela McColl's TWAS THE NIGHT: The Art and History of the Classic Christmas Poem, is packed full of vintage illustrations and lesser known historical details that make the book a bundle of perennial joy, for believers and non-believers alike."—Indie Reader

From the Publisher

2022-08-20
A nonfiction book offers an in-depth look at the creation and history of a classic Christmas poem.

In celebration of the bicentennial of the Christmas season’s most well-known and oft-recited poem, “A Visit From St. Nicholas” (also commonly referred to as “ ’Twas the Night Before Christmas”), McColl provides a collection of illustrations, snippets of literature, and historical tidbits related to Clement Clark Moore’s renowned rhyme. The author’s illuminating peek into the formulation and reception of the poem is well organized, with lovely, colorful images from various sources peppering the pages of text. Readers are given not only the background of the poem—written in 1822 and published in 1823—but also the origins of St. Nicholas and the varying cultural customs tied to Christmas throughout history. For example, McColl notes how Saturnalia was “the most popular festival in the Julian calendar” before Christianity became widespread. Similarly, readers can examine the use of Santa Claus’ image in popular culture—he appears in an Andy Warhol series—and how the belief in witchcraft in Colonial New England affected the region’s holiday celebrations. A highlight of the author’s extensive compilation turns out to be the holiday poems interspersed throughout, such as Louisa May Alcott’s “A Song for a Christmas Tree” (1871) and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s “Christmas Bells” (1863). McColl’s book, which seeks to present “selected images, along with dozens of literary excerpts, to illustrate the way in which…’Twas the Night, drew inspiration from the historical record of artistic expression and winter celebrations in western culture,” does just that. Though mainly told through quotes or passages from others, with some of her own observations sprinkled in between, the author’s commemoration is a detailed, thorough, and beautiful work for lovers of Christmas and fans of the holiday’s most famous poem.

A delightful and informative exploration of “A Visit From St. Nicholas” for the holiday season.

Kirkus Reviews