Description

‘Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the house, 

Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse,’

Twas the Night Before Christmas is a yuletide poem, originally known under the title A Visit from St. Nicholas. It is traditionally accredited to Clement Clarke Moore (1779 – 1863), although debate continues to this day as to its authorship. Moore was an American professor of Oriental and Greek literature, as well as Divinity and Biblical learning, and the poem (which has been labelled ‘the best-known verses ever written by an American’) is largely responsible for conceptions of ‘Santa Claus’ popular from the mid-nineteenth century until today. A true Christmas classic, perfect for festive bedtime reading for adults and children alike.

This gorgeous edition is illustrated by Jessie Willcox Smith, born in Philadelphia, USA. In 1894 she took classes under the artist Howard Pyle and embarked on a career as an illustrator. She quickly became a prolific and successful artist best-known for her Good Housekeeping covers and her twelve illustrations for Charles Kingsley’s The Water-Babies (1916).