Twas the Night Before Christmas: Or Account of a Visit from St. Nicholas »

Clement C. Moore (1779–1863), an American scholar and poet, first wrote The Night Before Christmas in 1822 to entertain his children. A friend submitted it to a local newspaper, The Troy Sentinel, where it was published on December 23, 1823. Moore's delightful description of St. Nicholas and his eight flying reindeer has since become the definitive portrait of Santa Claus.

"Lushly textured pencil drawings capture the mystery, surprise, and anticipation of . . . the most magical night of the year." — PUBLISHERS WEEKLY

Once upon a time, children imagined St. Nicholas as a stern, skinny bishop who was as likely to dole out discipline as Christmas presents. But thanks to the anonymous publication of the poem "Account of a Visit from St. Nicholas" in the TROY SENTINAL in 1823, a plumper, merrier St. Nick was born, transformed into the sleigh-riding, chimney-diving, jolly old elf we now call Santa Claus. Complemented by gorgeous monochrome illustrations that are meticulously true to pre-Victorian times, this definitive volume of 'TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS, honoring the poem's original language, is now available in a compact gift edition.

Publishers Weekly

Two paper-over-board editions will be welcomed by fans of the originals. Now in a smaller, gifty trim size, Matt Tavares's interpretation of Moore's poem 'Twas the Night Before Christmas retains its magic. PW wrote of the original, "Stark yet lushly textured pencil drawings capture the mystery, surprise and anticipation of what many children consider the most magical night of the year." Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.